


The Iron Knight: Lord and Lady

by topdawg27



Series: The Iron Knight [1]
Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, BAMF Pepper Potts, F/M, Pepperony - Freeform, Tony Stark Has A Heart, Tony Stark Has Issues
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-26
Updated: 2017-10-26
Packaged: 2019-01-23 16:47:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 24,517
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12511824
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/topdawg27/pseuds/topdawg27
Summary: A fantasy retelling of Iron Man, set in Medieval Times. Lord Anthony Stark is the Iron Knight, a nobleman fallen from grace, who is an iron-clad robin hood. He meets Lady Virginia Potts, a traveler with secrets of her own. This is the story of how they meet, the adventures they have and their victory over a great enemy. Movie-verse Pepperony AU romance. Mature content.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I love Pepperony in their contemporary setting. But I always felt that Tony's personal transformation into Iron Man, would make a great medieval fantasy story. The one thing I do not like about most medieval fiction is that the lady always needs rescuing. So Pepper's strong, independent attitude could translate to a medieval damsel who could take care of herself.
> 
> This chapter contains some violence and mention of torture. All quotes are from the great Rumi. I own nothing, not even the house I live in. Marvel owns everything, all HAIL Marvel. I am just a typist. Tony and Pepper are all Marvel, not mine.
> 
> Thanks for reading. From what I've seen, the Pepperony community, be it Tumblr or the halls of Fanfiction (AO3, , LiveJournal etc.) is one of the BEST fanfiction communities out there. So if I've made even 1 Pepperony fan happy, I will be happy.

 

_Do not worry that your life is turning upside down. How do you know the side you are used to is better than the one to come?_

He had been to Heaven. It was nothing but a collection of contrasts. A firm yet soft breast. Fragrant curves and nooks. Sometimes the valley was generous and undulating, sometimes lean and languorous. It didn't matter as long as the angels understood they had to leave the bed after the act was over. Harsh but necessary. And most of them left. The stubborn ones, well, he had a way of kicking them out.

Surely this was Hell. Or at least the road to it.

An endless landscape of blinding white.. stretching on forever. The cold had seeped into his bones, he felt as if he would never feel warm again.

He was walking against the wind, each step a struggle. Some part of him was bleeding, so he left a faint trail of red on the white snow. He didn't want to fight anymore. He just wanted to lie down and become part of the white background. What reason did he have to live ? There was nothing but blood and fire and death. He stopped his slow march and looked around.

There, under the mighty oak Tree. A good place to die. He dragged himself to the base of the tree and leaned against the stump. And tried to recall the prayers his mother had taught him, so long long ago.

He did not know how long he sat there. But he heard them before he saw them. There were four of them, spread out, all in dark grey, like shadows. They were muttering to each other. And trying to corral him. He really didn't want to fight anymore. They could do what they wanted with him. So he let them drag him away.

x-x-x-x

The smell of incense. A burning, throbbing ache in his chest. And a face with a toothless grin and shrunken eyes. He fumbled for his sword but it appeared he was tied to whatever he was lying on. The face made a soothing noise and leaned close to him.

"This won't hurt much, my Lord. Be strong." Then the face stuck a long stick in his own mouth. A blue light began to shine from him. He slowly pulled the stick out and in a swift motion, pulled off the bandage on Tony's chest and inserted the stick in his chest.

Tony saw the blue light inflame his chest and he screamed. The crazy man had set him on fire! He struggled against his bonds as his chest began to burn with a bright blue flame. He closed his eyes against the blinding pain. Underneath his lashes, he could see flashes of light and then darkness.

Something was pressed to his lips. "Drink, Lord Stark, drink and embrace the blue depths of aternum. Become one with Ryunn". He took a sip. It tasted vile and his throat began to burn with the same intensity as his chest. Then he felt raw light coursing through his veins.

He suddenly opened his eyes to see endless bursts of blue flame enshrouded by darkness. There was a being in the flame. He saw it then, a giant red eye with a triangular pupil, with peered at him. It hissed  _"And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you. I am looking into you, Tony Stark, look into me and accept the gift you are about to receive."_

He heard a booming laugh and the eye faded away. Then he saw the blue flame come towards him and engulf him whole.

Suddenly the toothless face jumped back into his sight. He joyously shrieked towards the skies.  _"_ Witness the death of man and the rebirth of Ryunn's vessel! _"_  There was smoke coming out of his chest. How was that possible? Tony stared at the old man with horror. He bellowed "What have you done to me.. why is there fire in my chest? Why you warlock, I will wring your scrawny neck! " and with a new found strength, he ripped off the ropes that bound him and leapt for the wizened fiend.

Who nimbly danced out of reach, cackling all the while. "My lord, you have been accepted by the Imperial Dragon, as his vessel. I never thought this would happen. Yippee!" And he began to dance in an unholy manner. Tony stared at him. His chest was burning but not with pain. He looked down and saw a blue flame, burning bright from within. He felt... alive. The wizard came closer and hesitantly reached towards the flame. Tony caught his hand, scared of what the wizard would do. But the wizard murmured to him softly, as if he were an injured animal. "Do not be afraid, my lord, I know it is a lot to take in. But you have been brought back from death, for a higher purpose." His tone was so soothing that Tony didn't even notice that the wizard had covered the flamed hole with a steel ringed glass lid, emblazoned with a symbol. Tony felt really calm now. He traced the symbol with his fingers. It was an inverted triangle in a circle. He sighed and tapped the steel absently with his fingers, the gentle tik tik sound soothing him even more.

x-x-x-x

The wizard's name was Yin Sen. He was from a far away land, somewhere towards the East of the world. He explained to Tony, that he belonged to an ancient order called the Monks of Ryunn, servants of a mighty dragon, who created the world. Long ago, when the Earth was still young, Ryunn fought an ancient evil threatening to destroy his new creation. The evil force was too strong and in its quest to protect humankind, the dragon sacrificed itself, destroying the evil with its life fire. With its dying breath, it urged the people of Earth, to protect instead of destroy and to do more with their lives. It then burst into blue flame, engulfing all those who stood near it. They realized they were chosen by the dragon to be its knights. And they were blessed with its strength in the form of a blue flame, burning within them. The flame granted them superior strength and reflexes as well as an extended life span.

The flame was not passed from father to child. Instead it seemed to be sentient and would choose who should be blessed with its presence. Only few were regarded as worthy enough and in turn, they would seek out successors and let the flame to judge if it should move on or not. Yin Sen was one such chosen knight. He has decided to travel far from his homeland, seeking to spread the word of Ryunn to other lands.

At this point, Yin Sen sighed deeply and sat down. A fearful look came into his eyes. Then he explained where they were and what was going to happen.

x-x-x-x

Yin Sen had failed to find anyone worthy in this land. He was set to travel to another land, when he was kidnapped by a sect known as the Ten Rings, led by a powerful sorcerer, Stane. He had heard of Ryunn's gift and wanted the power of the fire for himself, so that he could rule the land. He urged Yin Sen to pass the flame onto him. Yin Sen refused at first but Stane had him tortured until, in his weakened state, he agreed to release the flame. But Stane was rejected by the flame. In his rage, he imprisoned Yin Sen in this mountain fort, determined to figure out how to extract the flame from him. Yin Sen had been a prisoner for eight long months. From time to time, Stane would visit him and try different techniques to obtain the flame. All attempts had failed so far. And Yin Sen himself, had become weak from each torturous experiment. He did not know how long he could last.

x-x-x-x

Tony got his strength back over the next few days. Yin Sen taught him a few Eastern fighting techniques to keep him limber and to test his body's connection with the flame. Aside from a burning sensation from time to time, he felt fine. He didn't even feel the cold any more.

The serpentine whispers of the dragon took getting used to. At first, he thought he was going mad when he heard the loud whispering voice in his mind but Yin Sen explained that the dragon was living inside him and would speak to him from time to time. Time to time was an understatement. It seemed to love giving its opinion on everything it saw. Tony thought it would be noble and dignified but instead it was very sarcastic and mischievous.

One day Stane came to visit them.

x-x-x-x

Tony stretched himself after his workout. Yin Sen dozed lightly on his bed. Suddenly their holding areas gate opened and a dozen guards poured into the room. One of them roughly prodded Yin Sen awake. Before Tony could react, two guards came over and subdued him, then tied his hands behind his back and pushed him to his knees. The same was done to Yin Sen. A loud clanging bell was rung and two men entered the room.

The first man was clearly a soldier. He was short but broad and bronzed. He had a vicious scar across his right eye and carried a vicious scimitar at his waist. He glanced around, found everything to his satisfaction and then bowed deeply while the second man entered.

This man reeked of death and destruction. Tall and bald with a great grey beard. Clad in flowing robes of purple.

Tony's chest began to burn. He heard the dragon whisper,  _Stane will not get what he wants. Stand strong, Anthony. This man can be defeated._

Stane walked over to him and ordered the guards to make him stand up. He looked into the man's cold blue eyes.

"Lord Stark, your legend precedes you". He bowed deeply. "I am Obadiah Stane, necromancer from the land of Moria." A guard hit Tony in the knee, so he was forced to bow.

"You've met Yin Sen, our Eastern friend who has the gift of the dragon. I hope you like each other. And"... he tapped Tony's chest with a long curved cane "I see the flame has chosen you."

Stane 's eyes glittered with envy. "Well, there's no accounting for taste, I must admit."

Tony asked firmly "What do you want with us, Stane?"

"My lord, I simply want the power of the blue flame. But alas, it does not want me. Yin Sen must have enlightened you on how much I and him have struggled to pass on its presence. But no success there either. So I decided, if I can't have the flame, I'm going to control the one who has it."

Yin Sen gasped at this and Tony asked "What do you mean, control?"

Stane smiled wickedly and said, "I have the power to control human minds and now since the flame is within you, I shall break your will and bind you to my command. Then you shall use the flame to do my bidding, Lord Stark. Unfortunately, I have another matter to attend to, so you still have your senses... for now." He laughed at this and left.

Then Raza came over and snarled at Tony, "We have heard much of your skill at inventing and craftsmanship. Till the time my liege Stane returns, you will build a suit of armor, so that once your mind is taken, you will be a mighty armored foe."

Tony spat at him and said "Never."

Raza simply stared at him coldly and said "My Lord Stark, you will obey our word, one way or the other."

x-x-x-x

They tortured him for three days straight.

Endless head dunking in ice cold water, till his lungs felt as if they would burst.

Chaining him outside the fort for half hour intervals in the freezing cold.

Then he was hung upside down and hit across the chest, with a stick.

On the fourth day, they brought Yin Sen and were going to pluck out his eyes with tongs, so Tony finally gave in and agreed to build the suit.


	2. Prologue contd

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I tried to do justice to the fight scene from Iron Man, where Tony escapes from the cave. I wanted to be more violent but was so anxious for Tony to escape that I skipped on a lot of gory details. LOL, that reads just as ridiculous as it sounds in my head.
> 
> Tony's thoughts are in italics. Even the dragon's words are as the dragon is talking only to Tony inside his head.
> 
> Thanks for reading.
> 
> Marvel owns everything. I just have an overactive imagination that owns me.

A furnace was set up in their large cell. Forging tools were brought in. When the soldiers finally left, he and Yin Sen ate their meager gruel, the first meal for Tony in two days.

"Yin Sen, I do not want to build them this suit. I would rather die."

"I agree, my lord, but us dying will not stop Stane. We should escape and I think I know how."

"How?"

"We build them the suit..." Tony started to protest but Yin Sen held up his hand. "Hear me out. We build the suit but we design it such that it can be powered only by the flame. At the same time, I give you more of my flame, making you stronger. Once you are strong enough and the suit is ready, we fight out way out of this hellhole. And destroy Stane's base in this area."

Tony grinned grimly. "A fine plan. But Yin Sen, how can you give me more of your flame? Won't the loss weaken you?"

"I will become a little weaker, my lord, but it won't kill me. Besides, you need to reach maximum strength to fight in armor."

They shook on their plan and started to work on creating the armor.

x-x-x-x

First, they created a rough sketch of the suit on some sheepskin. Then Tony sketched detailed plans for each part of armor.

After that the forging began. To infuse the metal with the strength of the dragon, Yin Sen extracted some of his flame and used it to burn the steel. Tony did the arduous work of hammering the steel into the required form. Slowly but steadily the suit began to take shape.

While taking breaks, Yin Sen would engage Tony in sword play and hand-to-hand combat, to keep him fit and agile. He also taught Tony how to meditate and call forth the flame, from focusing inward. And everyday, Yin Sen would extract a little of the flame from himself and give it to Tony, making him a little stronger with every extract.

They were left undisturbed but once Raza unexpectedly dropped in to see how much they had progressed. What he saw must have pleased him, because he immediately left the fort to inform Stane. This worried Tony and he doubled his efforts, determined to complete the suit in the next few days.

x-x-x-x

The suit was finally complete. There was a storm brewing, judging from the sound of thunder. Tony and Yin Sen finally had a plan of attack.

They ate lightly and talked to distract themselves from the battle ahead. Yin sen looked at Tony thoughtfully.

"My lord, who are you going back to when this is over?"

Tony smiled sadly. "No one. There is nothing and no one waiting for me. What about you?"

"Me? I will go back to my family."

"Oh... I thought you wanted to travel, so you could pass on the flame to a successor."

Yin Sen smiled his toothless grin. "My lord, I have found my successor and he is indeed worthy. My quest ends here."

It took a minute for Tony to realize that Yin Sen was talking about him.

_I concur with Yin Sen._  whispered the dragon.

Tony grasped the monk's shoulder in thanks and then the great bell rang twice. It was time to put the plan in action.

x-x-x-x

The guard outside the cell was dozing when a loud moan was heard. He opened the hatch on the cell door. The old man was lying down on the floor, moaning. The knight was sleeping on a bench, in a pile of blankets.

He motioned at another guard and together they entered the cell. They came over to the old man. One guard prodded him with a stick. They tried to see what was the matter. While this was going on, Tony sneaked out of the open cell door. He needed a weapon.

Yin Sen clutched his stomach and let out another groan. "Oh! I am poisoned! Oh I am dying.. ooooaaaagghhhh..."

The guards stared at each other.

"I will go inform Raza." said one and ran out of the room. The other guard stood over Yin Sen, who was groaning even louder.

As the guard left the room, Tony knocked him out with a club and took the armory key from him. He opened the armory and selected a long broad sword for himself and a pike for Yin Sen.

He then returned to the cell. The other guard heard footsteps but didn't turn, thinking it was his friend. Then Tony knocked him out as well, using the sword's hilt.

Yin Sen dragged the other guard into the cell as Tony put on the Iron Knight armor. It was a feeling like no other. The flame in his chest allowed him to bear the armor easily. Yin Sen looked at him with pride.

They left the cell, locked it and quietly crept towards the main hall. Tony started to count the guards.

_At least four on each side of the hall._

He could attack one side while Yin Sen could take the other. He turned to tell Yin Sen the plan but the monk was gone.

He whispered "Yin Sen, Yin Sen, where are you?"

"Here, my lord." said the monk breathlessly, suddenly reappearing. He had a great curved sword in his hand. He offered it to Tony.

"I took this from the armory. This was my sword. When I was captured, they took it from me. I want you to have it, my lord. May it serve you well in battle as it has served me."

Anthony looked at him with shock. "I can't take your sword."

But Yin Sen pushed it into his hands and made him set the broad sword down. "We can argue later, my lord. Time to fight."

"Right. You take the left side, I will take the other and we work our way to the center."

He slowly crept behind the nearest guard when there was a great explosion. Yin Sen was lobbying balls of fire at the guards on the left side.

Tony had to laugh.  _The monk is full of surprises._

He took advantage of the guards confusion, to quickly knock one out and then the other. Then two guards saw him and started shouting. All turned to stare at him in horror.

_I must look like the devil himself to terrify these brutes so._

For a minute no one moved. They were too afraid to challenge him. Then a bold guard, seemingly the largest of the lot, charged at him. Tony defended himself from the charge and neatly flipped the guard off the landing's balcony. This seemed to frighten one or two guards, who ran for their lives.

Two more guards came towards him, swords raised. Tony clashed with one and finished him off. The other guard hit his back but the armor protected Tony and he stood firm against the impact of the blow. Then he raised his sword and cut down the guard and another as well. He was impressed at the lightness and strength in the weapon.

Yin Sen had barricaded the door leading from the barracks, to the hall, so there were no more guards on his side. Tony was facing one lone guard, when he saw Raza step in front of Yin Sen. He shouted, "Yin Sen, look out!"

The monk squared his shoulders and faced Raza regally. They clashed weapons and Tony quickly finished off the guard, eager to help Yin Sen.

As he ran to the left side of the hallway, he saw them cross swords and push against each other. Raza was stronger and pushed Yin Sen backwards, then swung his sword to cut the monk across the chest. Tony saw red, he could hear the dragon roaring in his ears. His chest started to burn and he rushed towards Raza, who turned to face him, sword raised.

The dragon hissed at him,  _Burn him in the fire of your anger. Concentrate Anthony, focus within yourself._

Tony knew what it was referring to. There was a switch in the armor that opened the glass lid of the blue flame in his chest. He flipped the switch, concentrated on his rage and a mighty blue flame burst forth from his chest, scorching Raza. The soldier screamed as the flame burned him and he ran blindly towards the fort's balcony.

Tony flipped the switch back and turned towards Yin Sen, who was lying on the floor. He was bleeding heavily as the cut was deep and mortal. Anthony tried to staunch the flow of blood. "Don't die on me, old man. I won't let you die."

Yin Sen looked at him with a serene smile on his face.  _"_ My Lord Stark, it is time for the final extract. I will give you my life force, so that you will truly be a knight of the Order of Ryun."

"No! Yin Sen, do not give up. Think of your family, you must go to see them."

The monk's smile grew wider. "It is because of them, that I must leave you, milord. They are not among the living any more. I want to be with them and now I can go to them happily, because I know you will carry on the legend of the flame."

With that, Yin Sen pulled Tony closer to his own chest, in a surprising show of strength for a dying man.

"Open the switch, Lord Stark."

Tony obeyed and he saw the blue flame escape from Yin Sen in bursts of flames. He could feel his own chest on fire. The incoming flame seemed too much for his body to take. He roared with the raw power flowing through his body. He closed his eyes and there was only blueness. In waves, in flames, in light.

Slowly the flame ebbed and he began to feel normal.

Yin Den was very pale but seemed so calm. He said haltingly, "Do not waste your life or your gift, Lord Stark. Do not be afraid to love. Help others and find someone who will love you, who will give you a reason to come back alive, from your quests."

He closed his eyes and let out one last breath, a peaceful smile on his face.

Tony leaned back on his heels. He was lost now. He did not know what to do.

_I could have saved him. I should have._

The dragon murmured soothingly, " _No Anthony, he lived a full life. There is no time to mourn. You have a higher purpose. Time to fly._ "

"Fly?!" Anthony exclaimed loudly.

The ludicrous suggestion snapped him out of his daze and made him take stock of his surroundings. The fire had spread and he could hear the chaotic sounds of people trying to escape the fort. He couldn't see Raza's body.

_Did he survive my flame attack ? Never mind, I must get out of here._

He ran to the balcony door and stepped into the night.

The fort appeared to be built on the edge of a cliff. He was standing on a flat ledge which dropped off into the ocean.

_Behind me, the wolves, in front of me, the cliff. Now how do I escape?_

_Fly,_  uttered the dragon.

_Are you crazy? How can I fly? In a metal suit of armor. How, how, how..._

_Believe in the flame, my power, Anthony. Believe in yourself. Call upon your inner strength and jump off the cliff._

Anthony shook his head with disbelief.

Just then a small troop of guards marched onto the ledge, followed by a purple robed being. Stane.

"My lord Stark, you truly deserve the dragon. My lieutenant is missing. My fort is in flames. Half my fleet is dead. And you did all this with that half dead monk in a prison cell in two months. My salutations." the necromancer bowed sarcastically.

Tony stood tensely on the balls of his feet.  _Flee or fight?_

He could fight off Stane's troops with some effort but Stane was a different matter. The man was a wizard. He seemed well versed in the dark arts and Tony couldn't match him in that.

_I will not let Stane turn me into a mindless slave. I will not let him take the Iron Knight. I will not, I cannot. I would rather die._

The dragon whispered,  _You can escape and return to fight Stane another day. Believe in yourself and your gift._

_Men are not made to fly, dragon._

_But you are not an ordinary man, Lord Stark, trust me when I say this..._

_What have I got to lose, only my life ..._

He said out loud, "Stane, Yin Sen will be avenged someday. Be prepared."

Then he turned and ran towards the ledge. He heard Stane's yell and the troop thundering after him but he focused on the ledge and the flame.

As he neared the edge, he could feel the fire burning with force, he could feel energy flowing through his body. He concentrated on the blueness of the flame, the light. He focused all his rage and anger on his core and jumped off, closing his eyes. He felt himself falling towards the blue depths of the ocean.

_Concentrate, Anthony! Feel the flame flowing through you. Raise yourself towards the sky._  roared the dragon.

He stretched his hands along his side and focused on the flame and its power coursing through him. He willed the light to move him. Then he felt the breeze on his face and he opened his eyes. He was soaring, soaring along the horizon.

"Huzzaahh!" Tony whopped joyously, the wind in his face, the sky above him and the sea below. He moved with the wind for some time.

_Feels good, doesn't it, to fly..._  the dragon smugly said.

He coasted along until he saw a familiar landmark, the village of Dell. It was a day's ride from King Leoric's castle. He started to descend, focusing on reducing speed.

_At last, I am free._


	3. The Long Winding Road to Nowhere

_I am neither of the East nor of the West, no boundaries exist within my breast._

It seemed endless, nothing but whiteness behind her and whiteness before her. Her eyes burned from the blinding visage of snow and the bone-chilling cold. Not a sound to be heard or an animal to be seen. She felt as if she would never feel warm again. At least she had shoes or she would have lost her toes to the cold by now. Even with shoes, it was an effort to walk as the snow was deep.

Pepper looked behind with apprehension.  _Have they noticed my escape?_  She could not hear the hounds, so even if they had noticed, they weren't on her trail.. yet.  _What will they do to me if they caught me?_

This time, it wouldn't just be a beating or a night tied to a tree far away from the fire. It would be worse. She had been walking all night, so she had put some distance between her and the camp. But they had horses and hounds. All she had were her tired legs, shoes and a thin fur, which she had sneakily stolen from the Fat One in the camp.

The thought of him freezing his gut, come morning, made her smile and her steps became lighter.  _Just a little more to go_ , she told herself. She was at the base of a gently sloping hill and the uphill climb would be short. At least that's what she told herself. Then it started to snow gently. At first, she was happy because her tracks would be covered.

But as the snowfall increased with each step, she realized she needed to get to shelter soon or she would die here, today. She started the climb uphill and then stopped. A shiver passed through her. She had the distinct feeling, she was being watched from the forest. She peered into the snow-capped greenery but nothing moved or made a sound.

Paranoia was natural,  _After all you are a runway and you know they will find you if you tarry,_  she told herself sternly. She started climbing uphill and finally reached the top. The view pleased her. To her north, was a town. At least 2 leagues away.

She had to cross a frozen lake and a small copse of trees to reach it. She could see a barn on the outskirts of the town.  _Finally a place to rest my aching legs and sleep peacefully_. Her stomach growled, reminding her that her last meal was 12 hours ago, gruel and a small, dry oat cake.

Slowly she looked around. To the south, surrounded by dense shrubs, she saw a black keep, small but forbidding. She wondered how anyone could reach the keep, the shrubs were so thick.  _Home of the Iron Knight perhaps?_  She recollected a conversation she overheard, between the Leader and the Fat One.

They were talking about the Iron Knight, a mythical spirit who breathed blue fire and who roamed the Dark Hills, searching for souls to feed on. The fat man was shit scared, he trembled because the camp was close to the Dark Hills. The Leader had laughed. "Nothing but a fairy tale", he growled, "a bogeyman for children". "No", the Fat One had shivered, "It is true. He has eyes and ears everywhere. He is the forest. Those who get lost in these woods, are hunted down and when he catches them, you can hear their screams in the night. It is said he rides a great black steed and commands a black beast with glowing eyes, that hunts down his prey." The Leader had walked away laughing, while the Fat One had made the sign of the Cross and shuddered.

With a start, she came back to the present.  _It will be dark soon. Time to move on._  As she descended the hill, she felt once again, a shadow in the woods, watching her. She sternly told herself to keep moving and ignore the feelings of paranoia. As she neared the bottom of the hill, she heard the faint sound of a twig cracking from the distant trees on the left. She stopped and stared.

Slowly a shadow began to separate from the trees. A tall, hooded figure, in black. Pepper peered at the figure and then her blood froze. It was a rider on a huge black war horse. The rider was fully encased in black, with a helmet covering its face. She could feel it staring at her, pinning her with its gaze. Time seemed to stand still. Even the snow had stopped falling. The horse shifted restlessly and she let out a gasp of horror as another dark figure began to materialize alongside the rider. It was the size of a small pony, black with long limbs and a twirling tail. Its eyes glowed an unearthly amber in the fading light. Beast and rider both stood still, watching her, waiting for her to make the first move.

Whether it was the cold chilling her bones from standing still for so long or the otherworldly entities in the distance but her limbs just wouldn't cooperate. Then the beast started to creep forward. The action shocked her frozen bones into motion. She started to run towards the lake because the devil and his beast was literally behind her.

Luckily for her, the snow was thin on this side of the mountain, so she could run. The cold wind blew against her but she didn't care, she ran as fast as she could, praying for God, anyone to save her from whatever was behind her. She thought she heard a yell but ignored it as she could finally see the lake in front of her. The ice seemed thick enough and she started to run across the surface. She knew she was safe across the ice, it was too risky for the rider and she prayed its beast would feel the same.

She was nearly at the middle of the lake, when she heard another shout and stopped running. Panting, she turned to see the rider forcefully rein in his horse at the edge of the lake, who reared and whinnied loudly, tossing his great mane. The black beast had gingerly walked on to the lake and her heart thudded painfully in her chest. She had never felt such blinding fear as she felt now.

On closer glance, it seemed like a very large cat with a diamond shaped head and a long tail. It was not sure of its footing on the ice and instead, sat down on its behind. The rider whistled sharply and the great cat ran back to the horse's side obediently. She knew now, she was looking at the Iron Knight because  _what earthly being could control a creature like that with only a sound?_

She watched as the rider gracefully dismounted and signaled the cat to stay at the horse's side. Then the rider stepped on the lake and she turned, ready to run again.

"The ice is too thin, you fool". A deep voice yelled. It seemed... human.

She turned back slightly towards the rider. She could make out he was tall and broad shouldered.

"Who, what are you?" she yelled back.

The wind was howling now and it was difficult to shout over its loudness. "Leave me alone!" she yelled again.

He said something again but she couldn't hear him. He seemed to be gesturing for her to come back towards his side of the lake.

She looked behind her. The town was just on the other side of the lake, it seemed so close. She was right in the middle, between the devil on one side and safety on the other. She shook her head at him and said to herself, _I will take my chances_.

She turned and stepped towards the town.

Then she heard the sound of cracking.

And then the ice gave way under her feet. She fell silently into the icy depths of the freezing lake.

It was so cold. So damn cold. Her hands and feet were numb. The blood in her veins turned to ice. She felt her heart stop as a block of ice slid into place above her, trapping her in the water.

She struggled to breathe in the ice filled water and then stopped struggling. It was too cold and she was too tired. Easier to let the lake consume her. She let the darkness surround her, her last thoughts were of her mother's smile.


	4. Save the Boy

_What you seek is seeking you._

Tony cursed the silly lad who just wouldn't listen to him. The lad was standing right in the middle of the frozen lake, poised on the balls of his feet, ready to flee. "The ice is too thin, you fool!" he yelled again. Just then he heard a loud crack like a whip.

The ice had cracked right where the lad was standing. He saw the boy's petrified face as he fell through the ice and into the cold water. He cursed again and ran swiftly towards the large crack. The ice had neatly slid back into place, submerging the boy. He used his fingers to pull the slab of ice out, ignoring the numbing cold. He tossed the ice away, took a deep breath and dunked his head in the water, searching for the boy. He could see him within his reach floating eerily still. He caught his arm and tried pulling him closer. The boy was a dead weight and he just didn't have the strength. He couldn't do this.

 _Yes, let him die. You have watched others, just like him, die before._  The serpentine voice in his head, whispered loudly.

He knew what the dragon was referring to, the Battle of Nioh, where he saw his entire army die in the cold, slowly and painfully. The memory angered him. Focusing inwards, he took a deep breath and heaved the boy from the dark water onto the ice. Knowing it was not safe on the ice, he tossed him over his shoulder and ran for the edge of the lake.

Thankfully the ice didn't crack further. He laid the boy down and checked for signs of life. His skin was so cold and clammy... there was definitely water in his lungs. A part of Tony's mind noticed the fine facial features of the lad and the wisps of strawberry red hair visible from under his hat. He rubbed his hands and arms in order to get blood circulating. The boy still wasn't breathing but.

"Come on boy, don't die on me now." He muttered.

He opened the boy's mouth and tilted his head back, so his chin was raised. Then Anthony placed one hand over the other, right on the middle of his chest. He pushed hard and fast, once, twice. The third time it worked. The lad coughed out water and sat up in shock, pushing Tony away. He tried to stand up but his legs were too shaky and he sat back down hard. Then he pushed himself up again and weakly started to run.

Tony signed and was just resigning himself to chasing the boy down in the snow when Tigliath came over, curious to see what was going on. The sight of the big cat bounding over the snow towards him, must have been too much for the boy who collapsed in a dead faint.  _Great,_  thought Tony.  _The lake didn't kill him but Tigliath's presence just might._

He walked over to the boy's prone form and looked down at him.  _Now what to do? I can't just leave him here to freeze. I could take him to the village... Wait... they are still skittish about me and I don't want to burden them with another mouth to feed._

"Come on, young fellow," he said merrily and lifted the boy onto Balthazar's saddle. "Today, you get to see where the Iron Knight lives."

He pulled himself up into the saddle and whistled to Tigliath to follow. He covered the boy well with a saddle blanket. Then he turned the great horse towards the south, towards his keep.


	5. Waking Up

_"You must make a choice to take a chance or your life will never change. "_

It was a short ride to Stark Keep. When he reached the shrub-covered, hidden gate, Tony used the tuning fork to let down the drawbridge. He rode into the courtyard and there was Jarvis, patiently waiting with a cup of warm ale.

"Tell me Jarvis, what would I do without you?" He smirked and asked.

"My lord, I'm not sure how to answer that question... diplomatically."

They both laughed and then Jarvis saw the prone figure lying across Balthazar's saddle.

"What happened, my lord?"

Tony dismounted and carefully eased the lad's body off the horse. He cradled him in his arms and couldn't help but notice the long slim line of his neck.

As he carried the boy towards the house, he said, "Let's get out of the cold, Jarvis and I shall explain. Please take Balthazar to the stable. This young man needs to get out of his damp clothes."

Tony entered the main hall and climbed the stairs. He then headed for the empty room next to his. The boy's body did not feel very cold but his temperature wasn't normal either and he didn't want him to catch a fever. He lay him down on the bed and started a fire. Jarvis entered the room and said, "Master, first we must get him out of his wet clothes."

"I'll do that, Jarvis, you get some blankets to wrap around him."

Anthony knelt by the cot.  _Time to take off this ugly hat, my friend._  He gently tugged the hat off and a mass of reddish brown hair tumbled out. He didn't know what shocked him more: that the boy was actually a woman or that hair of such color, actually existed. He reverently touched her head to see if the hair felt as soft as it looked. It did.

Tony rubbed his jaw thoughtfully. He had been fooled by the height and the hat and something else that was missing. He unbuttoned her shirt to the waist.  _Aha..._  She had bound her breasts with cloth.

He stared at the smattering of freckles along her neck and collarbones. She was skinny even without a corset. His gaze traveled up her slender neck to her face. She had a beautiful profile, delicate and regal. A woman of noble birth, he felt sure of it. There were dark circles under her eyes and the thought came out of nowhere.

_I bet they are the color of a dark sky or the sea in the summertime._

She stirred and he suddenly remembered her wet clothes and the fact that she needed to get out of them.

He reminded himself that he was a gentleman and that it wouldn't be gentlemanly to strip an unconscious woman of her clothes.

"Magdalene", he yelled. "Come upstairs please, our guest needs your help."

x-x-x-x

The crackle of wood in the fireplace, finally woke her up. She slowly opened her eyes, the warmth of the room making her feel drowsy and comforted. She was lying on a cot in a corner, with a large fur blanket drawn over her. The room was dimly lit and she was alone. She yawned and stretched, then realized she was wearing a long white tunic and nothing else. She sat up in shock.

_Where am I and what happened to my clothes?_

Pepper remembered falling into the lake and the coldness and then...  _Amber eyes and a rider in black.. the Iron Knight!_  She got up from the bed and started to pace.

_I'm trapped here. He's taken me prisoner. Why am I still alive? What is he going to do with me?_

_Pepper, stop panicking and start escaping._. she told herself firmly.

She looked out of the window and saw a moonlit courtyard. The room was too high above the ground to climb out.

She looked at the door suspiciously.  _Maybe I can pick the lock._  She knelt down and leaned towards the door to get a closer look at the lock... and nearly fell flat on her face when the door opened onto a hallway.

 _Why isn't it locked?_  She strode out of the door and looked around. The hallway was dimly lit and she could see three or four rooms on one end and a staircase on the other end.

She took a step towards the stair case and then stopped in her tracks.  _What a delicious smell._  It seemed to come from the room next to the one she just left. Her stomach growled at the thought of food, so she quietly stood in front of the door and put her ear against the door.

She didn't hear anyone inside, so she slowly pushed the door open. It was a large, welcoming room, clearly occupied by a man. There were a lot of masculine touches, from the huge, mahogany bed to the large wooden armchair with a foot stool by the fireplace and the weapons hung on the wall.

She saw the source of the aroma: a tray near the fireplace, loaded with roasted chicken, fruit, bread and cheese. She couldn't resist, she walked to the tray, broke off a drumstick and bit into it. It tasted so good and she began to eat with gusto. She had taken another bite when she heard footsteps coming up the staircase.

 _Hide, Pepper, hide,_  she thought frantically and ran back to the door, sliding behind it. The footsteps grew louder and her heart started pounding in her chest. She flattened herself against the wall. The door opened and a man walked in. She could only see his broad back as he walked to the window, a glass in his hand. He looked out of the window, sipping the drink slowly.

She prayed he wouldn't notice the half eaten food on the tray. She needed to get out of here but he would definitely notice if she came out from behind the door. Pepper bit her lip, then noticed the large candlestick near her.  _If I knock him out, I can safely reach the courtyard._  She didn't want to hurt him but she didn't trust him either. He could be the demonic knight hiding in human form.

She carefully eased out from behind the door and quietly picked up the candlestick.  _Can he see my reflection in the window?_   _No because it's open._  She crept behind him and raised the stick, then whacked him hard on the back of his head. He fell on the table heavily but didn't make a sound. His face was hidden by his thick black hair.

 _Time to leave._  It was cold outside, so she picked up a thick coat from the bed. She would need it on the road. She hurriedly put on the coat, walked out of the room and went quietly down the staircase. There was no one in the large dining hall but the main door was heavily locked from the inside. She walked into the kitchen and noticed a small side door. She unlatched it and walked outside, into the moonlit courtyard.

She looked around. A stable on the left, a large workshop or armory on the right, with the main house in the middle. Behind the stables, were the servant quarters. A cherry tree grew in the middle of the courtyard. A high wall with spikes, encircled the courtyard. There was a large drawbridge at its center. But she couldn't lower it without waking up the household. Then she noticed the ivy trellis growing on the side of the stable. She picked up a coil of rope from the stable wall. Then she hiked up her tunic's skirt and climbed up the trellis to the stable's roof.

From the end of the roof, she could reach the midpoint of the high wall. The wall was still quite high but she made a small loop in the rope and threw the loop at the spikes on the wall. She managed to get the loop around a spike and started to pull herself up. Then she heard a low growl behind her. She let go of the rope and slowly turned to see the black beast slowly creeping towards her, tail twirling curiously.

She stood with her back to the wall, careful not to make any sudden movements. The beast crouched and growled softly as if warning her to stay put. Then she heard a whistle and the animal growled in response. A voice yelled from below, "Oi! You attacked me in my own house! Get down here immediately!"

Pepper swallowed hard, still gazing with fear at the beast.  _Time to face your master._


	6. A Vision in the Moonlight

_The moon stays bright, when it doesn't avoid the night._

Tony impatiently waited for the sneaky woman to get down from the stable roof. He couldn't believe her audacity. He saved her from drowning, let her rest in his home and she brained him with his own candlestick! To add insult to injury, she had taken his coat and ran across his rooftop to escape. As if all the demons in hell were after her.  _Why was she trying to escape so badly anyway?_

"Sir", the woman said nervously, "Please call your beast off. He won't let me move."

He smirked at that and whistled. Tigliath obeyed his summons and jumped down from the roof. Then he saw her lean frame walk across the roof, her features hidden in the shadow of the night. She gracefully climbed down the trellis and stood in front of him, still in the shadows.

Tony stared at her, slender and tall, impudently wearing his coat with her arms shoved in the pockets. Her strawberry shaded hair was ruffled. He wanted to see her face clearly. Before he could move towards her, she stepped into the moonlight.

 _God's teeth, this woman is beautiful._  She was willowy with fine, delicate features and porcelain skin. She had a regal bearing. Even though she was shorter than him, she had straightened her shoulders and was somehow looking down her nose at him. The coat had opened and now his libido was busy leering at the sight of her in the short tunic. Skinny but curved in all the right places, with a gentle flare to her hips.

Alabaster, long, lean, firm legs, that seemed to go on forever.  _They would fit around my hips so perfectly, moving with me in passion._  The unbidden sensual thought sent a surge of lust through him. He forced his mind to focus on her face.  _I was right, she has cerulean blue eyes_. They looked at him piercingly and he felt as if she was searching his soul. There was defiance and fear in their dark blue depths.  _You should be scared, this is no ordinary man_ , the dragon hissed and Tony tightened his jaw.

She raised her head and asked defiantly, "Are you quite done looking me over, my lord? Or should I turn around?" in a low, cool tone.

 _So she was determined to be brave and face him down_.. Tony chuckled inwardly. He would use a domination tactic to show her whose in charge. "Face the wall and put your hands behind you, now".

She looked at him askance but did as he told. He closed the gap between them, picked up a coil of rope from the ground and bound her wrists together tightly. She did not struggle and he turned her around to face him. The fearful look in her eyes was more pronounced now but she still stared straight at him.

"Do you feel safe now, my lord, since I cannot attack you?"

He smirked at that.  _This one seems to be a fighter. I admire that. No tears or histrionics for her._

He gestured towards the workshop and said "Step into my parlor, said the spider to the fly."

They walked to the workshop and he unlocked the door and stepped in. He lit the lamp by the door and gestured towards the large bench. She sat down on it, looking at the floor.

He stood in front of her. "So tell me, my lady, what were you doing out on the frozen lake, pretending to be a man?"

She murmured, "I do not have to answer you my lord. I'm not one of your serfs." not looking at him.

"Agreed but these are my lands and I have a right to know why you are trespassing."

That seemed to irritate her and she gave him a stern look. "I did not intentionally trespass and I was trying to get to the village before night fall. I did not know these are private lands. I thought they were the abandoned lands of the ..." she trailed off.

_Ah, the lands of the infamous Iron Knight. Little do you know you are sitting right in front of him._

He said "My lady, that's just a myth. Designed to scare marauders and children. I hope you weren't running from the Knight in your foolhardy flight across the frozen lake." He chuckled at that. "Now why don't you thank me for pulling you out of the lake and saving you from drowning?"

His charm didn't work. She snorted derisively and said "Why should I thank you? I ran across the lake because of you and your threatening demeanor."

He stared at her incredulously.  _Here she is tied up in my house and SHE is showing me attitude._  "I tried to tell you to stop. And what was so threatening about me? And why were you out there in the middle of nowhere in the first place? What sort of lady dresses up like a man and wanders around alone..".

His question streak was interrupted by a low growl. At first he thought Tigliath had followed him into the workshop. But the big cat was nowhere to be seen. Then he looked at his house guest, who had turned a deep red in a most alluring manner. He was fascinated by the way the redness seemed to bloom across her face and spread to her delicate neck and ears. He was oddly charmed by it.

_I think I've never seen a woman do that. My preferred feminine companions are too jaded to blush, even with all my innuendos._

He realized with a start that the noise had come from her. "Are you hungry?"

She looked at her feet and nodded slowly.

He stood up and walked to the table in the corner.  _There should be something to eat around here._  Jarvis would bring his dinner out to the workshop when he knows Anthony was too busy tinkering to bother about eating. He found an apple and brought it to her. Then he reached behind her and untied her hands.

She took the apple and bit into it daintily. It seemed as if she was trying to control herself. Then her control slipped and she started to bite into it with gusto, like she hadn't eaten in a long time.

_Where are your manners? She's starving! There's definitely a story here but it can wait._

"I'm sorry." he said contritely and she looked at him inquiringly. "I didn't realize you were hungry. My questions can wait. Let's go back to the house, I'm sure there are left overs from dinner."

They walked to the main house and went to the kitchen. Tony found some thick soup and bread. He placed it before her and silently watched her wolf it down with some cheese as well. As she finished, he poured her a glass of milk and she drank it noisily. She rubbed her mouth with the back of her hand and stared at him warily.

_Play it cool Tony. Don't frighten her. She seems so vulnerable._

"Let's have some introductions. What is your name?"

"Virginia Port..." she hesitated here. "I am Lady Virginia Port".

 _Hmmmmm, a lady._  His instincts were never wrong

"And I am Lord Anthony Edduard Stark." She instinctively smirked at his pompousness but then quickly, controlled herself. "What happened to you, milady?"

"I, was uh ambushed... I mean, I was travelling to a friend's wedding and my caravan was attacked by robbers. I managed to escape in the chaos but no one else survived. I was wandering through the woods, trying to find my way to a familiar place."

"Where are you from?"

"From... Upper Cumbria. My land... My keep is in Cumbria. The wedding was in Midgard."

Midgard was a two day ride from here.

"You were travelling alone?"

"Yes, I mean I have, had a maidservant." Her eyes brimmed with tears and Tony grimaced. "But she died in the attack. I was left with nothing but the shirt on my back."

"Why were you dressed as a man?"

She hesitated and he said, "To avoid unwanted attention?"

"Yes" she murmured.

He rubbed his jaw and asked "Is there anyone in Cumbria we should contact? A husband, parents ...?"

"No my lord, there is no one. I'm an orphan."

 _Just like you. No one to contact if something happens. And no one will cry when you die._  whispered the dragon.

He looked at her earnestly and said "Well my lady, for what it's worth... I'm sorry I scared you and you nearly died for it. I would never have hurt you. I hope you can forgive me."

She looked at him from under her lashes and then bit her lip. He felt his groin jerk.

"My lord, I am sorry too. I shouldn't have hit you with the candlestick. It was cowardly of me."

He smiled and said, "Since apologies have been exchanged, let's get some sleep. Tomorrow is a new day and we can discuss more in the morning."


	7. Pepper's Week of Peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've tried to be as authentic as possible to the medieval setting. But there are places where I've slipped up.

* * *

_When you feel a peaceful joy, that's when you are near truth._

Day/Night Zero:

That night, for the first time in 3 weeks, Pepper slept in peace.

Day One:

In the morning, Lord Stark introduced her to Jarvis, his faithful butler/valet/assistant and Magdalene, housekeeper/cook/groundskeeper extraordinaire. She was relieved to learn that Magdalene had undressed her the day she was pulled from the lake. She also met Balthazar, Lord Stark's war horse, stormy and arrogant but a soft touch, once you petted his nose and offered him sugar.

In the afternoon, she sneakily stared at her benefactor from her bedroom window, as he practiced his swordsmanship with Jarvis. He had the body of a warrior, with a broad chest and strong arms, tapering to a narrow waist and muscular legs. But in looks, he was just like his beast, black haired and heavily bearded with sensual lips. He even moved like the beast, with a languid grace that hinted at suppressed strength.

But his eyes fascinated her. Molasses colored with just a hint of green. That night in his workshop, she saw them cold and hard, when he regarded her suspiciously. Then as he warmed up to her, his eyes turned into this molten, melting shade of brown, that enchanted her. She never thought she'd ever use the word 'beautiful' to describe a man but Lord Stark was worthy of such an adjective.

Day Two:

She met the black beast called Tigliath. He was a 'panther', according to Lord Stark, who had rescued him as a cub from a gypsy camp and raised him. He was fearsome but very cuddly and Lord Stark assured her that he was actually very harmless unless provoked. She quickly learnt that Tigliath was really just a larger house cat and started to treat him like one.

Magdalene dug up some clothes for her. She wondered who the clothes belonged to as there were no other women in the house. They didn't seem like Magdalene's clothes. Magdalene understood what she was thinking and sarcastically mentioned that Lord Stark received feminine company some days of the month but he always shooed them away in the early hours and they often left clothes behind. Pepper graciously accepted some of the more "decent" articles of clothing.

Day Three:

She learnt that Lord Stark was an inventor. He had invented an ingenious way to lower and raise the drawbridge without actually touching it all, using sound waves generated by a device known as a tuning fork. All one had to do was to strike the fork on a block in a particular manner and for a particular number of times, to lower or raise the drawbridge. Apparently he had invented a number of such small yet clever creations that she had yet to discover.

She spent most of her time between Jarvis and Magdalene. It was such a pleasure to be involved in running a household again. Then she spent time at the stable, cooing to Balthazar, who now nickered with pleasure when she came over. At night, she would sit on the window sill and gaze at the stars, with Tigliath's giant head in her lap. Lord Stark had noticed the big cat's affinity for her and she suspected he was envious. She also noticed the way Lord Stark would stare at her when he thought she wasn't looking. Surprisingly not at her body but at her hair. But from time to time, he would also stare at her legs.

Day Four:

Lord Stark noticed Pepper spending time in the stable and told her she could ride the little brown pony, Buttercup, if she wanted to. Pepper was so pleased that she ran to saddle Buttercup for a short ride in the afternoon. The wind in her hair, the brightness of the snow covered day, Buttercup's gently canter... this was bliss to Pepper. When she returned, she left a bouquet of snowdrops on his desk as thanks.

After dinner, Lord Stark asked her if she wanted to go back to Cumbria. He would accompany her on the journey. The thought made her turn visibly pale and she refused hastily. He didn't press her and let it go.

She noticed that he never slept on time. Rather, he spent the wee hours of the night, tinkering mysteriously in his workshop.  _What is he working on?_

Day Five:

She noticed a different wing of the house, the East Wing. The door to the wing was locked and dusty. Jarvis sadly told her that the wing had fallen into disrepair and that no one was allowed inside.  _Why is he so sad about it? And why won't Lord Stark fix it if it is old?_

Much to her delight, she discovered that Lord Stark had a small library. There was a connecting room between his and hers, filled with books and two armchairs. At first, she was bemused to find that all the books were scientific treatises but she did find some classics as well. And to her embarrassment, a book called the Kama Sutra, that explained sexual positions used in Asia. She did not read it but wondered how he got it and whether he had read it.  _Of course, he has._

She spent the whole evening reading and dozed off in one of the armchairs. After some time, she felt like she was being carried and woke up drowsily. "Ssssssh, it is ok. Sleep, do not awake, Milady." said a familiar voice. She nodded, her eyes weren't opening anyway and the body carrying her, seemed so warm and firm. She nuzzled closer and wrapped her arms around the body's neck. Then she was gently lowered to her bed and her blanket was drawn over her, tucking her in comfortably. "Sleep tight, a thousand times. Good night, milady." the voice murmured and was gone. And Pepper slept.

Day Six:

The next day, at breakfast, she looked at Lord Anthony and suddenly realized who had tucked her in. She blushed vividly. Of course he noticed and winked at her impudently. He seemed to take great delight in watching her blush.

She busied herself in the kitchen, shooing Magdalene away, so she could prepare her masterpiece: Sweet-and-sour lamb flavored with cinnamon and ginger. When it was served, she waited anxiously to see if her food was received well. Jarvis liked it and Magdalene shrugged but Lord Anthony charmingly commented "Beauty, brains and the ability to cook lamb without charring it to a crisp (looking at you here, Jarvis). Is there anything you cannot do, Lady Virginia?" She impishly dropped a curtsy and he roared with laughter.

That night, Lord Anthony asked her to accompany him on a midnight ride, something Pepper had never done before. It was a magical experience to ride in the moonlight, along snow covered land. They rode casually till the frozen lake, a few miles from the keep. Then Pepper dared Lord Anthony to a race around the lake. He looked at her mischievously and said "You want to pit my magnificent animal against Buttercup? No offense, Buttercup."

"What's the matter, my lord? Scared of little Buttercup and me?" She looked at him from beneath her lashes.

He snorted and said, "The loser has to do whatever the winner wants for a day."

"You seem pretty confident you will win, my lord." She twinkled at him. "I shall remember that when I cross the finish line before you."

He smirked at that and they lined up at the great oak near the lake. A count of three and they were off, Balthazar matching Buttercup's speed. Pepper could see he was holding Balthazar back to give her a chance but she had no intention of being so noble. She saw the snow was deep at one side of the track and purposefully led Buttercup into it. She took the lead then because Balthazar had to slow down in the deep snow whereas Buttercup had a light step and could easily walk on the snow.

As she turned the corner of the lake, she glanced over and saw Lord Anthony urge Balthazar out of the deep snow with a gentle hand and words of encouragement. She recalled seeing lords at a joust, treat their horses like dirt, pulling at their soft mouths with no care.  _Another thing to admire about him._

As she neared the finish line, she heard Balthazar thunder close on their heels and then abruptly his thundering stopped. Then she heard a yell and a thud. She turned and saw Lord Anthony sprawled sheepishly in the snow. She dismounted and ran to him. "My lord, are you alright?"

"I'm OK, nothing wounded, except for my ego. Damn Balthazar threw me." He shook his fist at the horse who was ignoring them. Pepper giggled. Then Lord Anthony slowly got to his feet, bent towards her and whispered "The race is not over yet, milady."

She gasped and turned swiftly on her heel to run. He was quicker than her and just as he reached the finish line, she lunged forward and ended up knocking them both off their feet. They tumbled, laughing in the soft snow and he looked at her as they caught their breath.

"Milady, that was a close race but I think I won. What say you?"

She hadn't had such simple fun in such a long time. She looked at him and for a second, thought she saw a glimmer of blue light.  _It must be the blood rush from the running._  She dimpled at him and said sweetly, "You win this one, my lord. But next time, I shall be the victor." He gave her a cheeky smile and they rode back to the keep.

Day Seven:

She didn't see Lord Anthony all morning as she was busy trying to learn pastry making from Magdalene.

In the evening, dark clouds had gathered on the horizon. An hour later, a powerful thunderstorm shook the keep. Pepper was horribly scared of storms. She sat on her bed, hugged herself and tried not to cry. Storms brought bad memories. Tigliath was not around, so even his cuddly comfort was missing. She had just started to sniffle when there was a knock on her door. Lord Anthony entered cautiously.

"Whatever is the matter, milady?"

She wanted to say something clever and fob him off but instead a tear fell from her eye and she trembled.

He sat at the edge of the bed and took her hands in his. "Are you scared of the storm?"

She nodded.

"The noise frightens you?"

Again she nodded.

"You know they are just arguing, right?"

She looked at him, puzzled.

"The rain and thunder are a married couple taking a walk. The rain being the man, wants to reach somewhere while thunder being the woman, obviously wants to enjoy the walk. The rain leaves her behind so she expresses her displeasure with loud noise." He twinkled at her charmingly and Pepper smiled at his silliness. Then he put his head out of the window and yelled at the sky, "Milady Thunder, would you mind keeping it down? You are scaring my lady, Virginia." Just then a flash of lighting struck the wall near the window. Lord Stark pulled his head back in hastily, lost his balance and landed right on his rump. Pepper laughed loudly at the sight.

He looked at her from the floor and said, "This is why you don't criticize women. If they say something, they always are right and you are wrong." He looked at the ceiling. "It was just a suggestion, milady Thunder. No need to get sparky."

She was still laughing as he picked himself up and came over to her. He gave her his monogrammed handkerchief to dry her tears. Then he urged her to come with him to the workshop where he wanted to run some of his ideas by her. She followed him with pleasure, charmed by his efforts to comfort her.

At night, she didn't return his kerchief. Instead she tucked it in her pillow, with the initials "A E S" towards her face.


	8. The Slavers Come

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mature content ahead.

* * *

_There is hope after despair and many suns after darkness._

It was a beautiful day. The land was covered with snow from last night's heavy snowfall. The sun was shining. It was literally a winter wonderland and Pepper desperately wanted to explore it. She told Jarvis and Magdalene, she would be late for lunch. She knew Lord Stark had gone to a nearby town and was expected in the evening. So she set off with Buttercup.

She headed towards the area to the north of the keep, which was uncharted territory for her. They had been riding for 2 hours when they came to a thicket of trees. Pepper dismounted and let Buttercup graze as she searched for mushrooms. She hummed to herself softly. Then she heard a twig snap and Buttercup whinnied. She turned to see a big, grey dog growling viciously at her, fangs bared.  _The hounds are here._

Pepper slowly backed into the bushes behind her. Then a large hand snaked around her waist and another around her mouth, cutting off her scream. She struggled as the hands lifted her off her feet. She bit the hand in her mouth and then saw stars as she was shoved roughly to the ground. The dog started to bark loudly. She turned her face and saw the hand coming towards her face, hitting her squarely in the jaw. Then everything went black.

x-x-x-x

Tony whistled merrily as he watched the drawbridge lower. He was looking forward to seeing Lady Virginia. Perhaps today he could persuade her to have a nightcap with him and play chess till dawn. The idea made him smile. As he rode in, he saw Jarvis and Magdalene in the courtyard. Something had happened. Jarvis came closer as he dismounted and said, "My lord, Lady Virginia, she hasn't come back yet."

Tony's blood turned cold. "When did she leave?".

"At 11 in the morning, Milord. Buttercup came back without her, an hour ago. We searched nearby but we couldn't find her-"

He didn't wait for Jarvis to finish his sentence, he mounted Balthazar and whistled for Tigliath. Man and beast rode out of the keep together in haste. It was 3 pm, so there was still light in the sky but dark would fall soon and he couldn't search for her then.

x-x-x-x

It was 6 pm. He had ridden for 3 hours, searching for some sign of Lady Virginia. He despaired of ever finding her.  _Where could she have gone?_  He crossed a small hill and rode down its valley. There was a thicket of trees but what interested him was the number of footprints in the snow. He dismounted and analysed them.

A small pair, that seemed feminine, led to a bush and then stopped. There were two other distinct pairs, one of a heavyset man as his print was deep in the snow. There were also paw marks, that of a dog. There was a scuffle, judging from the indentations near the bushes and broken branches in the bush. And then only two pairs disappeared into the undergrowth. They must have had horses and rode away from here.  _With Virginia._  He broke out in a cold sweat.  _They had taken her but why? A random kidnapping?_

The dragon whispered in his ear,  _Let's find her first and ask questions later. Then we will make them pay for taking her._

He saw that the two sets of horse prints led away from the thicket, towards the north. He mounted his horse and rode in that direction. He could see smoke rising in the near distance. He rode for 3 leagues, towards the source. He could hear the sounds of men and dogs.  _A camp. But of what?_ He silently ordered Tigiliath to stay in the undergrowth. He dismounted and tied Balthazar's reins to a tree.

The camp was set up in the old ruins of Tristam. It had been the house of a great lord. Only a few walls still stood and they provided good shelter from the snow. A large fire was lit in the center of the site. There were 2 men sitting on a broken down gate, cleaning swords. A large dog slept near them.

He stepped out from the forest and shouted " Hail fellows". The dog started barking. The men looked at him with suspicion. One of them stood up and pointed a sword at him. He growled, "Who be you stranger? State your purpose."

Tony said, "I am a ranger in these parts. Just scouting the area. I mean no harm. Just wanted to greet fellow travelers like myself. I can share my knowledge of the area if you like."

He stepped closer. The second man stood up and smiled. He gestured to the other man to lower his sword and snapped his fingers. The dog lay down again.

"Tell us, bearded one. . What lies in the land around us?"

Tony gave a brief outline of the surrounding area. The men listened to him with attention. Then the snarly one said, "Thank you for the information. It will be handy for us when we set out to hunt."

Tony politely asked "What are you hunting?"

They both chortled sneakily.

From the fire, a tall figure came into view. The men tensed and Tony knew this was the Leader of the camp. A lean, lanky, bony man, carrying a large pike and wrapped up in a large black cloak. Tony could smell the odor of dried blood emanating from him. His mouth was covered by a pink stained kerchief. He looked at Tony with dark, cold, soulless eyes and said in a hoarse high voice, "Who do we have here?"

The sword man grunted "Ranger. He was explaining the lay of the land to us."

The Leader stared at Tony unblinking. "Is there something you wanted, ranger?"

He decided to take a chance and see what happened.

"I am searching for a guest of mine, who I think, got lost in these woods. She is a young woman, tall with light red hair. Her horse returned home without her. Have you seen anyone like that around these parts?"

The men stared at him while the Leader smirked in a most obscene manner. He replied "Funny, we have a guest that fits that description. Follow me."

Tony followed the Leader cautiously as they passed the fire place. He saw two more men, one polishing a set of armor, the other grooming a horse. Two dogs were playing with each other in the snow.

_They say they are hunters but i cannot see any furs or skins or even meat anywhere. What is going on?_

Then he saw a large iron cage mounted on a wagon. It was tall enough for a man to stand in. The Leader noticed him staring and gave him a sly sideways glance. "To keep what we catch."

Before Tony could process his words, they came to a small patch of land enclosed by trees. A fat man sat on the ground. Under a huge oak tree, a smaller man was peeling potatoes slowly. The fat one was shouting, "Hurry up, you loiter-sack, we needs to start cooking dinner."

The smaller man stood up and Tony drew a short breath.  _Virginia_. He must have said it out loud because both she and the fat man turned to him. She gasped loudly.

The Leader said maliciously, "This be your friend?".

Then Tony noticed the shackle around Virginia's ankle. A long steel chain ran from the shackle to a loop embedded in the tree. Another shackle was around one of her wrists, again chaining her to the tree.

_She is a slave. This is a slave camp. Virginia is a slave._

Suddenly it all became clear. Her fleeing from him on the frozen lake, why she was dressed as a man, why she had nothing on her, why she had tried escaping when she woke up. She was a slave on the run.

He shook his head in disbelief. She hesitantly took a step towards him but the chain around her leg tightened and held her back. She looked at him with a mute plea in her eyes, as if urging him not to judge her. Her right cheek was swollen and there was a dark bruise on her jaw.

The Leader came by her side and she stiffened. He pulled her head back viciously, by her open hair. She didn't make a sound, she just swallowed hard. He asked Tony, "I'll repeat my question... is this the friend you are looking for?"

Tony felt his chest start to burn with rage. He could hear the dragon roar in his ears. The fiend was hurting her. He withdrew his sword and assumed an attack stance, ready to tear the bastard to pieces.

"Let her go, you monster!" he yelled.

The fat man stepped forward and withdrew his sword. The Leader snarled, shoved Virginia to the ground and picked up his pike. They both faced Tony down, weapons raised. Then he heard the dogs barking. The remaining slavers of the camp entered the area. Now Tony was completely surrounded by men and dogs.

Before he could swing at the nearest attacker, the dragon whispered,  _STOP. You know this is evil. It must be destroyed. But be smart. You cannot take them all on and survive unscathed. You are not prepared for this battle._

Tony silently agreed.  _It is right. If I die, Virginia will be doomed. I need to save her. I need to be the Iron Knight to win this._

He took a deep breath and lowered his sword. The Leader stared at him warily.  _Time to put on an act._

"Hark! Let's calm down, fellows, for a minute. I do not want to fight you. Why should I? You are earning a living, you are doing what you have to do. How can I interfere?" He said winningly.

By now, all had lowered their swords and were staring at him. He put his sword back in its scabbard and smiled charmingly. This made the Leader relax.

"Anyways I hardly know her and I definitely did not know she was a slave. I would have turned her in myself, for a reward. So sorry for disturbing your peace. I shall take my leave. Happy hunting."

He looked at Virginia, who had staggered to her feet. There was a look of sadness and even worse, defeat in her eyes.

She bit her lip and then looked down at her hands as if she couldn't bear to meet his gaze. Tony schooled his emotions, so that his face was blank. The leader laughed and the men started to get back to what they were doing. Tony walked quickly towards the entrance of the camp, without looking back. He mounted Balthazar and whistled at Tigliath to follow him. He rode with haste as he had to reach Stark keep in an hour.

X---X---X

Darkness had fallen and the camp was settling down for dinner. Pepper sat under the great tree, hands bound behind her and watched the Leader assign watch duty to Pees-every-where dog and Never-takes-a-bath slaver. Here she was back again in this hell on earth, chained to the same tree as she had been when the slavers first captured her. She wondered whether Lord Stark had told Jarvis and Magdalene about her.

 _He must have, they must share his disgust. He looked right through me as if I wasn't even there. He was disgusted because he thought I was a lady, a noblewoman. He must regret his generosity towards me._  Remembering his reaction filled her eyes with tears.

_I cannot cry, I must be strong. He was just a man. It does not matter any more._

She sighed deeply and watched as the men gathered around the fireplace, waiting for the Fat One to dole out stew. Her stomach growled with hunger. She knew she wouldn't get any stew. She closed her eyes, only to smell the stench of dried blood close by. She stood up quickly. The Leader was here and looking at her.

Pepper was terrified of the Leader. She had seen his unspeakable cruelty towards other slaves. He seemed to delight in torture. His mouth was always covered but his beady eyes glimmered evilly in his pasty white skin. They bore into her skin like she was a writhing piece of flesh for him to abuse. And somehow he always smelt of blood.

He came to her side, with that frightening looping walk of his. He caught her throat in his hand, fingernail gently scraping her neck. She turned her head forward and didn't look at him.

"Virginia, my sweet." He whispered in her ear. His sibilant voice made her shudder uncontrollably. She tried to move away but the hand on her throat was firmly holding her in place.

"Why did you run my pet? Hmm? We took such good care of you, didn't we?" He bit her ear through his kerchief and she jerked violently. "Such a bundle of nerves. I have some news for you. Look at me Virginia."

He caught her jaw and forcibly turned her head, so she was looking at him. He was too close. The smell of blood grew stronger. His kerchief was around his neck and his thin wide mouth was visible in his gaunt face. It was stretched in a thin lipped smile.

"Virginia" he spoke slowly, barely opening his mouth, "We have a buyer for you." She felt her blood chill at this. Being sold would be the end of her.

"It's an old friend of yours, at least that's what he said. He's been searching for you. The warlock Stane."

 _He's found me._  Pepper gasped and struggled to break free. The Leader reacted by pushing her back against the tree with one hand, tightening his grip on her neck with his other hand. She couldn't breathe from the fear.

"Now, now, my sweet. I know you are excited to see him but you need to be patient. This happy news calls for a celebration, don't you think." She froze at this sentence. The Leader's eyes were glittering with an unholy light.

"We had to be careful with you because we were trying to attract a buyer. But now we got one and he doesn't care what state you are in, as long as you are alive." She stared at him in horror as he grinned at her, fully exposing two rows of filed and pointed teeth in his wide mouth.

"Don't worry, Virginia ... you will live through it." and he laughed hoarsely.


	9. A Hero will save us

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mature Content ahead.

* * *

_Be patient where you sit in the dark. The dawn is coming._

It was an hour from midnight. Tony stood in the undergrowth, clad in his armor except for his helmet. He felt the rush of adrenaline and fear that always hit him before battle. He scanned the camp. All the men were huddled around the fire. Soon they would turn in for the night.

His face tightened at the thought of Virginia. She didn't deserve this and he was going to make sure she escaped safely. He just had to be careful.

He watched the assigned watch pair of man and dog head for the border of the camp. Right towards Tigliath.  _Good luck facing him._  The plan was simple: Tigilath would take down the watch.

The camp would be alerted and they would head towards that side of the clearing, leaving Virginia unguarded. He would get her out and come right back to finish off the slavers. Especially their evil leader. He had no qualms about killing them.

He rested his hand on his scabbard. He carried no shield because the armor was strong enough to take any blow from a man-made weapon. Also he preferred being swift and nimble as opposed to heavy and restricted and a shield would throw him off balance. He took a deep breath calming himself, going over the pre-battle motions that Yin Sen taught him. The dragon was excited at the thought of battle and was huffing softly in his ears.

The watch hadn't reached Tigilath yet. They would in a few minutes, according to his calculations. And the camp surprisingly had not yet settled down to sleep. In fact they seemed to be making merry. Virginia's stocky keeper had rolled out a barrel of ale and they started drinking. Then the Leader came into view and the men started cheering.

Tony's heart started to slowly, pound with rage at the sight before him. Virginia was dragged into the center of the clearing by a rope around her neck. Her hands were tied and one of the men tried to grope her. She kicked at him and the crowd hollered even more. Two men placed a metal bed frame near the fire.

The blood was rushing to Tony's head. He knew what was going to happen but was powerless to stop it as he had to let Tigliath do his part first. The Leader pushed her down flat on the bed.

Someone handed him some more rope and first he tied her wrists wide apart to the bed and then did the same for her legs, so that she was restricted, spread eagled, to the bed. She struggled against her bonds but it was of no use. The Leader accepted a tankard and started to drink deeply.

Tony watched silently and clenched his fists. He swore vehemently.  _I can't take on all of them at once. They need to be distracted._

His chest started to burn with the effort of keeping himself calm. He put his helmet on, as a reflex, to distract himself from the terrible scene before him.

 _Paradise lost, innocence lost. Too bad, Anthony. You sit here in the shadows and watch Virginia suffer._  said the dragon solemnly.

The fat man brought a knife to the Leader, who had finished his drink. He used the knife to cut open Virginia's dress, exposing her shift. The men started to cheer as the Leader climbed on the bed and placed his hands on her thighs.

She spat at him for this and he pulled the rope around her neck, to raise her head. Then he slapped her hard. The sound echoed in the clearing but it seemed to echo the loudest in Tony's head and his vision turned crimson. He would wait no more.

The dragon unfurled in his chest and they roared as one in the night.

x-x-x-x

The blow stung Pepper's face and she tasted blood in her mouth.  _I can survive this, I have to. I won't give this devil the pleasure of seeing me break._  She closed her eyes, trying to block out the sight of the Leader's pointed evil grin, bearing down on her.

Then she heard a roar, something not quite human. Everyone heard it and for a moment, the men fell silent. The Leader looked around and hissed "What was that?"

A deafening snarl came from far way, as if to answer the roar, this time definitely from an animal. Then the Fat One pointed at the top of the clearing. "There's something there!" he shrieked.

Silently, a tall, shadowy figure appeared at the top of the clearing. The night was cloudy, so the being was steeped in shadow. For a moment, he stood there in perfect stillness. Then he slowly stepped forward, a huge knight in full battle armor with a great helm covering his face.

He had no shield. His armor was the darkest black of night with an unholy blue light shining from his chest. His eyes glowed red beneath his visor. The knight slowly pulled out a great curved sword from his scabbard and pointed it at them menacingly.

For a moment, nobody moved, paralyzed with fear. The Fat One broke the silence by screaming loudly. "It is the Iron Knight! God save us from the cursed being!" The knight then whistled shrilly.

From the right, a great black beast entered the clearing. Its amber eyes glowed and blood dripped from its fangs and fur. It crept slowly but surely towards the men, a low growl emitting from its throat. The knight let out a mighty roar and charged forward. At the same time, the beast sprang at the nearest slaver, ripping out his throat.

Both being and beast were determined to kill everyone there. The knight swung his sword and disemboweled the first man to cross him. He clashed swords with another slaver, then kicked him backwards and slit his throat. The Leader scrambled off Pepper, desperate to find his sword.

Pepper was helpless as she was tied to the bed with no way to free herself. The Fat one was loudly praying on the ground next to her, tears running down his face. One of the hounds decided to face the knight and leaped at his head. Its teeth collided with pure metal and it fell back to the ground with pain. The knight calmly picked it up by the neck and flung it into the fire.

A slaver charged towards the knight on horseback, pike in hand. He stabbed the knight in the chest with the pike. Pepper gasped as the knight absorbed the blow with a slight sway but remained standing, unscathed. The slaver turned his horse around to strike again but out of nowhere the beast pounced on him in the saddle and mauled him viciously.

_Is that Tigliath? Yes it is, there can't be another panther. If that is Tigliath, then who or what is the knight? It can't be... Lord Stark?!_

The second hound faced Tigiliath and they clashed in a whirl of fur, tooth and claw, feline versus canine. A second slaver on horseback was dispatched swiftly by the knight. The Fat One suddenly came to his wits and scrambled to his feet. He desperately ran away from the clearing, towards a horse.

The knight pulled a long dagger out of his greaves and threw it with force at the Fat One. It hit him right in his neck and he fell to the ground with a gurgle. The beast or perhaps Tigiliath, had emerged victorious from his short battle with the dog. There were only two more slavers left, one of whom was the Leader. He was nowhere to be seen.

x-x-x-x

Tony wryly realized he had completely ignored his own plan but so far so good. Four men down, two to go.  _What about the dogs?_ He had killed one, Tigliath had definitely killed the one with the watcher. That left one more.

He heard the sound of bone being crushed and saw Tigliath snapping the neck of the last hound between his teeth. He paused for a moment, listening to his heartthud violently in the stillness of the night.

"Look out!" Virginia yelled.

He turned to see the tall lean slaver come towards him, sword raised. Tony assumed a defensive stance and waited. The man then dropped his sword, fell to his knees and raised his hands above his head. "Please, my lord knight, mercy. I don't want to die here. Mercy. I ask for your forgiveness. I will change."

Tony tightened his jaw. He didn't deserve mercy. He had no doubt participated fully in the enslavement of others.

 _Kill him_  said the dragon.  _You know you want to. Does he really deserve a second chance._

_Smiting down the violent and guilty is easy. What about those who repent? What difference is there between me and him? He is a man doing what he is told to do by someone in command. I was the same just for a different commander. If he asks for a second chance, how can I deny him what I was fortunate enough to receive?_

He replied "Repent for your sins. Ask forgiveness from those you enslaved. Leave this place and never come back."

The man got up and ran past Tony, only to be stopped by a knife in his back. Anthony turned around to see the Leader holding Virginia hostage. He was holding her close to him with one arm around her torso, the other holding a knife at her throat.

"Lord knight, do you care to parley? I do not know what made you choose my humble camp and slaughter all my men. Was it to save lovely Virginia here or just coincidence?"

He scraped the knife along her throat, lightly scratching her.

Her eyes were wide and full of fear in her pale face. She stood perfectly still. _I have to save her. Nothing can happen to her._

 _Be calm, Anthony. Don't let him get the upper hand by being emotional._  Said the dragon.

Tony sheathed his sword and stepped closer, thinking hard. Tigliath had come close as well, crouched and growling ready to pounce. But even he seemed to realize the dangerous position Virginia was in.

_I can't charge, I can't use the dagger, I might hit her. I can't leave her to this monster._

"What do you want?" he snarled

The leader grinned obscenely and Tony suppressed a shudder at his filed toothy grin.

"What I want my lord, is to leave with my life. So you are going to walk away to the beginning of the clearing, taking your damn hell beast with you."

"Let her go." Tony said tightly.

"Not until I'm on horseback and a safe distance away. Then I will leave sweet Virginia behind."

Tony stared at him with suspicion. "How do I know you will keep your word and not harm her?"

"You will just have to trust me, milord". He smirked. "Now start walk..."

He was cut off abruptly by Virginia stepping violently on his outer heel. As he stepped back in pain, she jabbed her free elbow into his nose, drawing blood.

 _Finish him off!_  roared the dragon.

"Virginia, get down!" yelled Tony. Before the Leader could recover and swing at her, he had to stun him. He pressed the switch in his armor and the glass lid of the flame in his chest opened. He summoned all his strength and called upon the dragon. A powerful stream of blue flame burst from his chest and engulfed the leader.

Virginia crawled away quickly and scrambled to her feet. She ran to Tony, who pushed her behind him. Tony lunged at the Leader who had been singed by the flame. In one swift motion, he swung his sword and cut off the Leader's head.

 _It was done. She is safe. It was done._ Tony took a deep breath and turned to face Virginia. "Are you all right?"

She backed away from him fearfully and he lifted his helm's visor. "Do not be afraid, Virginia."

"Lord Stark," She murmured with shock. "You are..." She was speechless.

There was nothing but fear in her eyes and he nodded grimly. Suddenly his helmet felt too heavy and he removed it. He stepped away from her and started to walk out of the clearing. Now that the blood lust had left him, he was drained of energy. "Let's go home."

He whistled for Balthazar to come to them. The war horse thundered up and Tony stood near the saddle, waiting to hoist Virginia up. She walked to him and he looked at her. "Virginia, you need to rest, you have endured enough for one night. We can talk in the morning." He said gently.

She raised her head and looked at him. He was struck by the relief and joy in her dark blue eyes. Then she smiled and embraced him, standing on tip toe, leaning into him, ignoring his bloody armor.

He stood still, unwilling to break the sweet spell. He felt a wetness on his cheek as she rested her face against his. His body relaxed and he took a deep breath. She whispered to him softly, "Thank you, milord, for coming back for me. Thank you."

Then she hoisted herself on the saddle and smiled at him. "Call me Pepper." All he could do was stare at her and he shook himself out of the stupor.  _Later, we will think about this later._


	10. Showing Gratitude

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature content ahead. Again, I know some of the language is not authentic but... I'm human. And I don't own anything. Marvel does.

* * *

_Look at the moon in the sky, not the one in the lake._

By the time they reached the Keep, Pepper was exhausted. She dimly recalled meeting Jarvis, assuring him and Lord Stark that she was fine and falling into her bed, to sleep. The next morning, she ran down for breakfast and ate like a horse because she was starving. Lord Stark was busy repairing his armor in the workshop and she didn't see him the entire day.

She thought about his secret identity, the Iron Knight.  _His myth portrays him as a being to fear but he saved me. Why does he become the Iron Knight? Money? Notoriety? Or is he crazy?_  She decided to find out more from Jarvis.

Come nightfall, she sat in her room and brushed her hair. She had taken a bath and finally felt clean. She realized that she wanted to show Lord Anthony how grateful she was. The events of the previous night haunted her. She could still feel the coarse rope around her neck, the groping, moist hands on her thighs, the fetid breath of the Leader on her neck... she took a deep breath and forced herself to focus on the task at hand. Which was to show the lord of the keep, how grateful she was.

Her conscience whispered piously,  _The only worth a woman has is her maidenhead_. She answered shakily,  _That's why I am going to give it to the Iron Knight... because I have nothing else of value and I owe him._

 _It is nothing but a simple physical act,_ she told herself.  _Just lie back and let it happen._  Women did it on the marriage bed all the time.

She rubbed crushed lilies all over her body and combed her hair, then left it open. She slipped on the white sheath dress that Magdalene managed to dig up from somewhere. No doubt another leftover clothing item from one of Lord Stark's "lady friends".

To strengthen her nerves, she poured herself a glass of the red wine on the table and drank it in one gulp. Then another and another and finally, she was ready to face Lord Stark.

x-x-x-x

Tony pensively stared into the fireplace as he sipped his glass of mead. Jarvis had made him a warm poultice and from time to time, he gingerly pressed it against his throbbing forehead. Tigliath lay across his feet and Tony absently stroked his big black head, eliciting a deep purr of pleasure from the big cat. He mulled over the events of the previous evening. He was now responsible for a runaway slave. A beautiful, nubile slave with eyes the color of the ocean and hair like spun strawberry gold silk.

 _Maybe you should have just left her to her fate... since you are clearly overthinking about your actions._  hissed the dragon.

_NO! I could never have done that!_

He could not explain what had come over him. All he knew was that he desired her and could not bear to see her taken away. He wanted her for himself. It had been so long since he had felt this way. When he cared for someone with passion.  _Have I ever felt this way? And why am I feeling this way?_

He groaned and cradled his head in his hands. He did not like the way he had gotten emotional and gone on a killing spree. Yes, they were slavers but he could have left them alone. He performed small acts of heroism and avoided killing others if it could be helped. But when he saw her with those damn men, chained to the tree and the leader manhandling her, he had willingly succumbed to the blood lust and destroyed their camp.

_And I would do it all over again. I regret nothing._

Perhaps he had been celibate for too long. Perhaps it was just his lust, manifesting itself in violence. He remembered his battles, from his time with King Leoric. Looking back, there seemed to be little difference between the heady rush of war and spilled blood and the thrill of lust and passionate sex. Indeed, both acts always ended with a victor and the conquered.

But this time, his victory had left him with a bittersweet prize. He did not want attachments. He did not want to be responsible for another human being. And definitely not her. She was innocence, everything he wasn't and was meant for a man with noble intentions and goodness in his heart. Not a monster with fire in his chest, who left blood in his wake and who had a drinking problem.

His musings were interrupted by a low knock on the door.

_It must be Jarvis with some more mead._

"Enter".

Instead, the object of his thoughts slowly stepped into the room. From his seat, Tony stared at her wide-eyed. She was wearing a knee-length, flowing sheer sheath with full sleeves. She had let down her hair and it softly fell around her shoulders. She looked at her feet. "My lord, is there anything you desire that I can provide?" she said and finally raised her head, looking straight at him.

 _Yes_ , the dragon whispered in his head,  _I desire you, body and soul._

Tigliath grunted and rose from his comfortable seat at Tony's feet, to rub himself against her lovingly. She smiled and gently patted him on the head.

 _Even your beast wants her touch, Anthony. What do you want?_  The dragon whispered.

He was curious to learn why she had really come, so he drained his glass and said, "Pour me a glass of mead, please. The flagon is on the mantelpiece".

She turned to the fireplace and stood on tiptoe, to reach the flagon. Tony swallowed hard as the light from the fire illuminated her slender frame perfectly, making her thin dress transparent. He could see her shoulder blades, the deep hollow of her back and the delicate curve of her behind. She turned with the flagon and took the glass from his hand, then slowly poured some mead into the glass.

She was now standing right in front of the fire. He wanted to say something but at the same time, he didn't want to. He could see her small but firm breasts with their darkish nipples, her firm and taut belly and finally, the patch of reddish brown curls at her woman hood. The sheath ended at her knees and he continued to gaze at her endlessly long, lean legs with creamy thighs, firm calves, finally tapering to thin ankles and delicate feet. It had been too long for his libido and he felt himself harden painfully at her innocent baring of her body.

She handed him the glass, looking deep into his eyes with that piercing gaze of hers. He took a deep sip, controlling himself and looked at her. Her right cheek was still bruised but it just enhanced her overall air of fragility.

 _Time to be nonchalant._  "It is very late, why are you still awake? After the ordeal you suffered, you should rest." He said.

She bit her lip and said "I wanted to thank you, my lord, for saving me. I cannot express how grateful I am. You saved me from a fate worse than death." Her eyes started to shimmer and he took her hand in his, to comfort her.

"They deserved what came to them. Any man would have done what I did." He said gruffly, idly rubbing his thumb over her fingers. She looked at his hand.

Uncomfortable with her gaze and her gratitude, he let go of her and leaned back in the chair. He took another sip and said firmly, "You should go to sleep, Pepper."

She swallowed hard, looked straight at him and said "My lord, I want to repay you for your kindness. But I have nothing to offer you in return. Nothing... but myself".

He stared at her in shock. All his blood seemed to flow from his brain to his balls and his cock jerked painfully at her words.  _Was she offering herself to him?_  He clenched his fists as the dragon started roaring in his head and his chest started to pound.

"Pepper .." he said hesitantly. He should refuse. He should be noble and turn her down. She didn't owe him anything.  _But you are not noble, Anthony and you want her so badly. Take her and let her burn in your desire._  Damn dragon. He clenched his fists and she shuddered at the small action. Then she seemed to steel herself, looked straight at him and stepped between his legs.

 _God's teeth, she wants to repay you, you want her._ His brain screamed at him. She nibbled at her her lip again and this spurred him into action He pulled her onto his lap.  _Mine, mine,mine_ , echoed through his head like a prayer as he touched her lips with his.


	11. Innocence Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mature content ahead.

* * *

_The only lasting beauty is the beauty of the heart._

His first thought was that she does not know how to kiss. Her mouth was barely open and she seemed shocked by his passion. He wound his fingers in her silky mane and pulled her closer to him, nibbling at her soft lips.

Then he pulled her bottom lip between his teeth. She gasped at that and opened her mouth wider. He took advantage and slid his tongue into her mouth. She shuddered deeply at the first touch of his tongue on hers. Sliding and touching each other in an ancient, passionate dance.

His second thought was of sensation. Sweet wine, soft warm flesh, honeyed softness of lips and the intoxicating smell of lilies...  _so this is what innocence feels like_. As a man who paid for sex, he compared it to the feel of jaded lovers, with their staged moans and hard lips. They knew the part they had to play. They knew that foreplay was necessary before the key deed and all they wanted to do, was perform well, so they got their money.

He had understood that and accepted it. But this girl, this sweet young girl, she made him realize just what he had been missing for so long. The heady sweetness of innocence. He moaned into her mouth.

She broke off the kiss to stare at him, breathing harshly. Her hands were on his shoulders, clutching him for support. He was aware of the feel of her hips on the lower part of his body. Her dark blue eyes gazed deeply into his, as if she was trying to look into his soul. Her lips were slightly swollen.

He wanted more, so he gently but firmly, cradled her face in his hands and pulled her back to his lips, kissing her slowly and gently. She whimpered at his tenderness and deepened the kiss.

Now her body had softened against his and his third thought was of possession. So he left her lips to nip at her ear and gently bite the delicate outer shell. She trembled violently at the sensation.

He softly held her by her throat in one hand, to keep her still. Then he rubbed his beard near the soft corner of her mouth and she jerked her head back. He kissed a trail down her long exposed throat, holding her still with his hand and gently bit the junction of flesh where her neck met her shoulder.

She arched into his arms then, pressing her breasts to his chest with a gasp. "You are mine now", he murmured darkly, against her skin and pulled the soft flesh of her neck through his teeth, to mark her. She whimpered at this but except for a deep shudder, didn't move a muscle, her neck still in his hand.

He could not ignore the softness of her body against his own anymore, nor could he ignore his extremely painful erection. Swiftly he gathered her in his arms and stood up, then walked over to the bed and gently laid her down. She lay there mutely, hands by her side, palms down on the cool white sheets. Her eyes were wide and deep blue in her face and her hair billowed on the pillow, like a halo of red flame.

He couldn't resist stroking it as he gently knelt beside her.  _It really is like spun silk._  He buried his face in the fragrant, soft mass, inhaled deeply to fill his nose with the scent of lilies and nuzzled her. He slowly lowered himself on her, groaning at the feel of her supple soft body under his. He didn't want to hurt her with the flame arc in his chest, so he raised himself slightly on one arm and started kissing her neck and her chest.

Then he put one hand on her soft thigh and slowly pushed the edge of the dress up. He grazed the sensitive smooth skin along her inner thigh. To his callused hands, this was like heaven.  _Take her Anthony, after all she is yours to possess, isn't she_.. the dragon cackled. He agreed silently and placed his palm on her curls, ready to touch the most sensitive part of her and prepare her for his erect cock.

He felt her shiver violently and Tony suddenly looked up. Her head was turned to one side as she stared blankly at the wall on her left. She was biting her lip and was so pale, teeth marks were visible on her lower lip. Tony noticed her arms were still at her sides, fists clenching the sheet tightly. He watched as a small tear trickled out of her right eye. Through the thick fog of arousal, he realized she was afraid and it hit him like a ton of bricks: she was an innocent and he was taking her against her will.

"Pepper", he said, his raging passion making his voice gruff. She started at the sound of her name and turned to stare at him, with wide blank eyes. As though she was physically here but mentally, somewhere else. He pushed himself off her body, sat back on his heels and asked, "You are a virgin, aren't you?"

She nodded slowly, looked somewhere behind him and then whispered, "It does not matter my lord. A debt is a debt". The smell of lilies had now become overpowering and out of nowhere, he remembered his mother telling him that lilies represented purity.

 _Ha!,_  scoffed the dragon,  _Purity is overrated, it's just sex and she's just another warm body. Isn't she? Give in to your lust and take what she owes you. Besides, she came to you, so she knows what she's doing._

His erection throbbing painfully between his legs, wasn't helping and he took a deep breath. The dragon was right, wasn't it? He was no longer a gallant knight and she was not a lady. So what did it matter if he sated himself in her body?  _The loss of innocence!_ , his conscience screamed at him.  _Look at her face, see her fear. If you take her, you will truly be a monster, no different from the Slave Leader._

The thought sobered him and he tried to calm down. But his lust was so great and his frustration increased at how close he had come to achieving release. He tightened his jaw and ignored the dragon's mocking laugh.

"Go back to your room", he muttered tightly, moving off her and rising from the bed. "I don't want your payment."

She stared at him dumbly as he looked down at her, with stormy eyes. Nearing the end of his patience, he roared, "Go back to your room before I forget myself!" She watched with awe as the blue flame seemed to glow sharply in his chest, through his night shirt.

The Knight slammed his fist angrily into the bed's wooden frame and she quickly rolled out of the bed and ran through the door.

Tony glared at her departing form, then stood up and slammed the door shut. Tigliath growled at him in fear but he ignored the big cat and strode to the window. He had to calm himself down, his chest burned horribly and his erection hurt.

He roughly pulled his swollen penis out from his trousers and with a vengeance, begin to angrily jerk himself off. As he neared release, the dragon whispered sarcastically,  _This is all the company you deserve, Anthony,_  and Tony agreed silently, cursing his conscience, his life and his body.


	12. Stark's Past

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I switch between Tony, Lord Stark, Lord Anthony etc. with the following reasoning:
> 
> 1) Pepper told him explicitly to call her Pepper. So he stopped calling her Virginia.
> 
> 2) Pepper thinks of him as Lord Stark but slowly uses Lord Anthony as she gets to know him. She does not call him Tony yet because he hasn't told her to.
> 
> I'm a firm believer of the usage of nicknames only if you know someone well enough or if they tell you to call them by the nickname.

* * *

_Being a candle is not easy; In order to give light, one must first burn._

It was morning. Pepper walked down the stairs slowly. She stopped at the bottom. She was dreading Lord Anthony's presence at the table. She did not know how to face him.

_How can I? I was a tease. I went in there. I showed him my body. I decided to sleep with him. I kissed him willingly and then I didn't go through with it. But I just couldn't. I want to love the man I lay with. Lord Anthony is a good man but I don't love him._

She touched her lips as she remembered the passionate kisses they shared and the way she shuddered in his arms as he took her mouth. Then she remembered the violent way he slammed his fist into the bed frame, to release his anger. His force, the look in his eyes and the blue flame, the way he was controlling, no, restraining his rage, she did not blame him if he hated her.

And she did not want to face that hate today. Perhaps she should leave. But where could she go? Her home was... no longer her home. And on her own, she knew the villagers would not accept her. She sighed and walked into the main hall.

No one was there and she went into the kitchen, looking for Jarvis. He and Magdalene were sitting on the large stone slab, which was the kitchen's counter, eating porridge. He smiled at her and said "Milady, Good morning! Help yourself to some hot porridge and come sit with us."

Her face must have shown her confusion as he continued "We can eat informally as Lord Anthony will not be here all day."

She exhaled with relief, then composed herself and asked "Where has Lord Anthony gone? And how long will he be gone?"

Jarvis looked uncomfortable for a minute, then replied "It could be a few days or a week or a month, you can never tell with Lord Stark's journeys. Anyways, I thought I would show you around the grounds, in his absence." He was trying to change the subject and Pepper let him. She would ask him later.

Four days later

It was a cold but bright day. Pepper sipped a hot cup of ale in the gallery, humming to herself. There was no sign or sound of Lord Anthony and Jarvis was acting on edge. Twice he had come close to confiding in her but he would just gulp and change the subject or move away. Pepper was determined to know what was going on and decided to corner him. Plus she was bored of reading the scientific treatises in the library.

She found Jarvis tidying up in Lord Anthony's room. Tigliath was all curled up at the foot of the bed.

"Tell me Jarvis, why didn't Lord Anthony take Tigliath with him on this journey?"

Jarvis stiffened and replied "It is very difficult for Lord Anthony to keep a low profile or blend in with crowds, with a panther around. And Tigliath is just too curious at times and disobeys instructions. So it is better, he stays here on difficult quests."

"Quests? Lord Anthony has gone on a quest? What type of quest? Where is this quest?"

Jarvis then sighed and said "Milady, try as I might, I cannot keep evading your questions. And frankly, it would be good to confide in someone as Milord's antics worry me. I shall tell you all, from the beginning."

Pepper nodded and sat on the bed. Tigliath promptly pushed his heavy head onto her lap for some petting.

Jarvis spoke, "Lord Stark was born into a family of noble knights and soldiers. His father, Howard the Third, was the leader of the Iron Legion, a rout of elite knights whose sworn duty was to serve King Vanko and to expand his kingdom. From childhood, Lord Stark was treated as a knight in training and it was always expected that he would take his father's place as the head of the Legion when the day came."

"Lord Howard was first and foremost a knight and only cared for his king. So he sent Lord Anthony to far away lands as a child, to learn the art of war and train with other soldiers. It was hard for his wife, Lady Maria to bear as Anthony was her only child and she was saddened by the hardships he had to endure at such a young age. She never enjoyed the joys of motherhood or marriage as both her husband and son were never home. Time passed and Lord Anthony was in his twentieth year, when a Slavic assassin murdered his parents, on their way to the coronation of the new king, Leoric."

"Lord Anthony was awarded his father's knighthood and took his place as the leader of the Iron Legion. At first, the other knights did not respect him and ignored him because they were envious of him achieving so much so young. But my lord proved his mettle in the Battle of Timnoth and many other battles. He was King Leoric's most decorated knight and the most respected, due to his strategic thinking and intelligence on the battlefield."

"In his thirtieth year, during a particularly vicious battle, my Lord was heavily injured and captured by an evil wizard in the Forest of Nioh. I do not know what they did to him, milady, but somehow he escaped and came back to us after three long months. He was a changed man, both physically and mentally. He doesn't talk about his captivity because it pains him. All i know, is that another prisoner, a shaman from the East, saved his life by magically filling him with an eternal blue fire, that gives him inhuman strength. It is also the energy source that powers his Iron Knight armor."

"The blue fire", Pepper whispered.

"Yes Milady, you can see it glowing in his chest at times, when his emotions are high. The fire is both a blessing and a curse for my lord."

"Why a curse?"

"Because it is a living source of ancient spirit power that lives through Lord Anthony. He will not admit it but I feel the spirit talks to him and disturbs him. It is also a source of guilt for him because... the shaman died, so that the power could pass from him to Lord Anthony. He did it, so that my Lord could escape with his life. That act of sacrifice shook Lord Anthony. He realized how he had spent his life, dealing death and destruction. All in the name of conquest, money and fame. All the shaman asked of him, was to use the blue fire to help others, not to destroy them."

"This change in morality must have been difficult for King Leoric, to stomach from his best knight." Pepper noted drolly.

"Indeed Milady. Once Lord Anthony returned to court, he requested an audience with the King and asked to disband the Iron Legion, saying its violent acts were unnecessary and cruel. King Leoric laughed in his face and suggested his captivity had addled his mind. When Lord Anthony tried to reason with the King, he was thrown in jail for a few days and then humiliated by being publicly stripped of his knighthood."

"His title remained because King Leoric's advisers felt Lord Anthony would see the error of his ways soon enough and return to the King. They did not want to alienate him completely. But it has been two years since my Lord left the court, swearing never to return and to do good with his powers. He will not go back to that life."

Pepper thought,  _He lost his parents and his position in society. Just like me._

"So what does he do with his powers? Is that the quest he is on?" She asked.

Jarvis shuffled from one foot to another and said, "Milady, Lord Anthony has become a silent champion of the innocent. If he hears of any raids or attacks against simple farmers or villagers, he goes to their aid. He also seeks to prevent injustice in the form of invasions or dictators. Right now, he has gone to destroy a large camp of slavers in the North West. He learned of their camp from a note he found in the slave camp where you were imprisoned. He wants to set their prisoners free and send them home."

Pepper inhaled sharply, remembering the muted anger in Anthony's eyes as they rode away from the destroyed slave camp. "I will not allow this to exist anymore", he had said with coldness. She looked at Jarvis with worry.

"He has gone to fight a camp of slavers alone?"

Jarvis said with a sad smile "Who is interested in freeing poor enslaved innocents? Certainly not the neighboring barons or lords. Or the King's knights or stewards. Even the villagers will not interfere unless one of their own has been captured. So yes, Lord Anthony is always alone on such quests. But he comes back every time, victorious. You see, it is not just the power or the armor, he is also a battle-hardened strategist and knows how to win through stealth."

"Does he usually take so long on a quest?"

"No, he comes back in 1 or 2 days. But he mentioned the camp would be large as it is the main camp. I feel you inspired him in this regard, Milady. After seeing your plight, he is determined to rid these lands of this slaving scourge once and for all."

Pepper felt joy in knowing that the others who had been imprisoned with her would be free soon. She wanted to learn more about Lord Anthony and his quests. When he returned, she would seek him out.

Six days later

Pepper stared at the gentle fall of snow from her bedroom window. It had been 6 days since Lord Anthony had left on his quest. And now Jarvis and Magdalene had to travel to a farmer's abode as a midwife was urgently needed for his pregnant wife. The first-time father had come to the Keep, desperately looking for aid and both had experience with childbirth. It was a two day ride and they had left in order to reach the farmer's home in time for the birth.

It was just her and Tigliath for now. She settled on her cot with the big cat, who never left her side. Together they sat in the fire's warmth and waited for Lord Anthony to return.


	13. Return of the Hero

_The universe knew, it knew: you would have need of me._

Even with all the pain, he recognized the feeling of Déjà vu. The endless walk through the snow, the pain in his chest and ribs, the taste of blood in his mouth. Balthazar must have reached the keep by now. Tony commanded him to leave once the fighting started, as he didn't want anything to happen to him. He sat at the base of a tree and took off his helmet. It seemed like a nice place to die.

 _A tad melodramatic._ The dragon whispered.  _You are bruised badly but you will not die._

_If I don't reach the Keep soon, we will both freeze to death in the cold. But I can't walk anymore. I just can't._

He thought of Jarvis, Tigliath, Magdalene, his parents... and finally her. Pepper.

_Why am I thinking of her? Because we kissed. Her lips were so soft. Focus, Tony. So you kissed her. So what? I've kissed many women. I've slept with so many._

_Yes but this one is different, Anthony._  The dragon interrupted gently.

_Maybe in another life, another time, she could have truly been mine. At my side, my wife, the mother of my children, someone I could grow old with. And I would be someone who deserved her. I wish I knew more about her, there is definitely more to know._

Now he felt foolish.

_You can't lose something, you never had in the first place. And I never had her. But from what little time we shared, my only regret is... I wish I had more time._

He closed his eyes and let the cold envelop him, his last coherent thoughts were of the light shining through her dark blue eyes.

x-x-x-x

Pepper looked out at the snow covered courtyard. It had been a week and one day since Lord Anthony had left on his quest. Jarvis and Magdalene had still not returned from the farmer's house. She kept herself busy, doing housework, checking on the horses and sitting in front of the fireplace with Tigliath's head in her lap.

Today she decided to darn some of Lord Anthony's shirts and tunics as she noticed a number of them had small holes. Most of the tears were on the elbows and the cuffs. Probably from his lab activities. She sat on the window sill, the pile of clothes next to her, needle and white thread in her lap.

Impulsively she picked up a shirt and sniffed it tentatively. The smell of grease, metal, wood and musk assailed her senses. The heady scent of an intriguing man. The intimacy of the act hit her and she dropped the shirt. She had no business inhaling his clothes. But she couldn't resist laying her head on the aromatic pile of shirts and dozing off for a few minutes.

She dreamt of snow and the Iron Knight sitting in a thicket of trees, helmet off, chest paining, blue fire fading into black. She woke up with a jerk. It seemed like a sign. Tigliath bounded into the room, seemingly just as disturbed as she was.

She spoke out loud, "Something has happened. I can feel it in my bones. He needs us. The Knight needs us to save him."

x-x-x-x

Something kept telling her that Lord Anthony needed her help and was incapacitated. So she hitched the small sled to the donkey and set out with Tigliath by her side. Once she was outside the Keep, she wondered where to go. Left or right, north or south?

Her doubt was answered as she saw Balthazar trotting tiredly from the north. The large horse nickered at her and came over to nuzzle her with his great head. He knew the way home, so she let him go and proceeded north.

Thankfully the snow had stopped falling but the ground was thick with it. She had dressed up warmly and had laid a thick fur on the shed. There was a thicket of trees ahead and she pulled the donkey gently. She saw the pile of metal sitting under a tree with its human head, eyes closed. She ran to his side and felt his pulse. Faint but there. He was very cold but.

_Come on Pepper, you need to get him back to the Keep as fast as possible._

She brought the donkey closer to his crumpled figure. Tigliath tried to help by gently licking Lord Anthony's face.

It seemed to rouse him. He muttered dazedly, "Don't want to walk anymore. Let me be. Just let me be..."

"Lord Anthony, we need to go home. It's too cold."

He stared at her, bleary eyed and tried to turn his back to her. "I don't want your help... I can manage on my own. Don't want your gratitude. You... you don't owe me anything you hear...".

Pepper sighed. "Lord Stark, I'm doing this because you are a good man and don't deserve to die like this. Please come with me."

She put her hands under his shoulders and started tugging him onto the shed. Damn, the armor was heavy but she couldn't waste time prying it off.

He got up halfway and leaned on her, still muttering grudgingly about not needing her help. But he collapsed completely close to the shed. Pepper pulled him by catching him under his arms and heaving with all her strength.

Finally he was on the shed and Pepper urged the donkey to drag the sled back to the Keep, as fast as possible.

When they reached the Keep and entered the courtyard, she led the donkey to the workshop. She couldn't carry him upstairs and the workshop was the warmest room. She dragged Lord Anthony inside, with Tigliath's help. She placed him on a bench near the furnace.  _He needs to get warm, time to start a fire._ With some effort she managed to start the furnace and light some candles. Then she started removing his armor, piece by piece.

She thought it would be difficult but she realized his armor pieces weren't as heavy as a traditional knight's armor. Only the breastplate was heavier, perhaps because it had to support the blue flame arc in his chest.

_He prefers speed and agility over protection, so the armor is light enough for him to maneuver easily. When he gets hit, it is sturdy enough to take the blow._

She laid each piece on the opposite table. Then she unbuttoned his soft gambeson, so he was bare chested and only his drawers remained. She surveyed the damage done to his body. He was perfectly still through all this, breathing evenly, eyes closed.

He had a lot of bruises on his legs. They looked painful but not critical. He had a black eye and a gash on his cheek. She gently touched his ribs. One side was bruised badly but with rest and care, it would heal.

She cleaned the gash with vinegar and applied a salve from Jarvis's medicine cabinet. She rubbed an ointment on his bruised ribs and applied a mixture of henbane and hemlock to his knees, so they wouldn't ache. All in all, he wasn't critically injured. Fatigue from battle and the freezing temperature had made him weak.

_He must be hungry as well. I must remember to feed him when he comes to._

She touched her palm to his forehead. His temperature was better but not normal yet. Then he shivered in his sleep.

_Come on Pepper, think! Try to remember what your medicine woman used to do. I've done all I can with actual medicine... wait a minute. Sharing body heat can make him warm._

She looked at his prone form and blushed. He wasn't wearing much, just his drawers. Now that she had assessed his wounds, she allowed herself to satisfy her curiosity about his body.

 _Long muscular legs, not too hairy. Nice flat muscular abdomen, gently rising and falling._ _Broad curved shoulders.._   _Hmmm... th_ _e blue circle in his chest is burning brightly. I hope that's a good sign._ _Look at the deep blue scar tissue around the circle. It must have hurt him so much._

She studiously ignored his hips and groin. And wondered whether she should warm him up with her body.

_Pepper, now is not the time for being shy. His temperature needs to come back to normal, else he will catch a fever. Besides, it is just for a little while._

The bench he lay on, was wide enough for both of them. She took off her coat, lifted his blanket and lay down against his right side. She pulled her coat and his blanket back over them. Then she pressed herself to his side.

The long hours in the armor had given him a certain... aroma, to put it politely. But it couldn't be helped as she couldn't bathe him. She touched his hair, curious to see if it was as soft as it looked. It was. Then she ran her fingers over his beard which needed trimming. It felt rough but not unpleasant. She absently smoothed it and was taken aback when Lord Anthony suddenly stirred. He murmured something intelligible, then drifted back to sleep.

 _Did he feel me stroking him?_ The thought made her flush. She pulled her hand back and closed her eyes. He was a very comforting body pillow.

x-x-x-x

_So warm and comfortable... and so soft. Lilies._

Tony slowly and dreamily woke up from his slumber. He was lying on a bench, covered in warmth. To his left, was a slumbering feline, warm length pressed firmly against him. To his right, was a fragrant soft woman, her head resting on his shoulder, warm body pressed to him. She was so close, if he turned his head, he could kiss her forehead. Her arm was draped over his chest and her hand gently covered the blue flame arc, as if she was caressing it. Her lashes were long and dark on her cheek.

He inhaled deeply, breathing in the scent of lilies and... her. She sighed in her sleep. He didn't want to wake her up but he couldn't get up if she didn't move and he badly wanted to pass urine.

"Pepper...Pepper, wake up... wake up sweeting."

She murmured "Mother, I'm coming." and snuggled closer.

He felt oddly sad at that. He tried again.

"Pepper, wake up now."

Tigliath had woken up and leaned over him to gently lick her nose. She stirred at that, giggled and then opened her eyes with the most beatific smile on her face.

Tony's breath caught at the unguarded sweet expression on her face. Then he grinned.  _Because now she's going to blush.. 1, 2, 3_ , he counted silently.

And just like that, Pepper suddenly realized where she was and sat up abruptly, blushing furiously. Tony grinned at her unabashedly. "My lady, you may be the softest and most fragrant bolster, I've ever had."

She bit her lip, trying to control her embarrassment.

"Please help me get up."

She firmed her lips at this and he recognized she had gone into no nonsense mode.

"My lord..."

"Tony."

"My lord," she said sternly. "You must rest, you are severely bruised. You have been walking in the snow for too long."

"I know but I need to ...".

"To what? What's so important ? Your armor is here and Balthazar is safe in the stable. Your ribs are a different matter. You need to rest." She placed her hands on her hips and glared at him.

What he was going to say, would embarrass her but he had to, else he was going to embarrass himself. And she would blush, so that was a plus.

"I need to urinate badly, Pepper... I feel as if my bladder will burst."

_Ah, there's that rosy redness again. The way it fills her face. She looks so ... clean and pure and beautiful._

She helped him up. He hobbled quickly to the windowsill, pulled himself out of his drawers and peed out of the window with his back to her.

"My lord!" She squeaked, scandalized. "I'm right here!"

"Ahh, that's a relief. Can't be helped, Pep. Don't look at me. I can't pee in the suit without taking it off, so this has been a long time coming."

He finished, put himself back together and washed his hands with a jug of water conveniently near the window sill. He turned, grinning widely at her. She was trying to decide whether to be embarrassed, irritated or nonchalant about his behavior and the play of emotions across her face was fascinating. She apparently decided on nonchalance and asked "Do you do this often, my lord?"

"Urinate from the window? Yes, that's why there is a jug in that location. Because if I'm working, I don't want to go back to the house for the chamber pot..." she held up a hand to stop his ramble.

"I meant, go on these quests and get injured like this." Her voice had gone soft and her eyes were shimmering with some unspoken emotion.

_Concern for me. I don't know what to make of that._

He shrugged his shoulders, trying to be blase. "I don't want those sort of people on my lands."

She bit her lip and looked at him searchingly. "But the camp you destroyed in this past week... they weren't on your lands, my lord. So why? Why are you risking your life, to save people you don't know?"

"Because I saw what the slavers did to you, Pepper, and I do not want that to happen to anyone else. I won't allow it to happen if I can stop it. No one should be enslaved."

She looked at him in a way he never thought was possible for a man like him. Agreement, gratitude and pride. And something like affection.

He shifted, uncomfortable with the emotions and his ribs protested. He winced and she widened her eyes with worry.

"My lord, you need to eat and rest. Let us go to the kitchen." She turned to clear up the bench.

He tapped his blue arc thoughtfully.

_She undressed me, so she's seen this. But she's not asked me anything. Huh.. I am also curious to know how she got captured by the slavers in the first place._


	14. Confessions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for sticking with the story so far.
> 
> So this chapter ends my phase 1 of the Iron Knight saga. I'm working on Phase 2. I have a few adventures in mind for Tony and Pepper.
> 
> Let me know what you think.

* * *

_These pains you feel are messengers. Listen to them._

Lord Anthony pulled on a shirt and trousers and they slowly made their way to the kitchen. Pepper insisted on supporting him because she saw the way he winced, while standing up in the workshop.

She helped him sit down, then bustled about, warming up some gravy and venison. She placed some cheese and wine on the table, which he eagerly reached for. When the food was hot, she served him and prepared a plate of venison for Tigliath as well. Lord Anthony did not start eating until she served herself as well and sat down beside him.

They ate quietly for a while, in a comfortable silence. Then he asked, " Where have Jarvis and Magdalene gone?"

She explained. He nodded absently and finished eating but sat there, waiting for her to finish. When she finished and cleared the table, he slowly walked to the fireplace and sat down. She was going to retire to her room when he said, "Pepper, please sit with me for a while."

She came over to him and touched her palm to his forehead. His temperature had returned to normal. He was staring at her, so she flushed and sat in the chair next to him.

"My lord, I'm sorry for my behavior the night I came to your room..."

He touched her lips with his fingers, stopping her mid sentence. His jaw tightened and he lowered his head.

"We will not speak of that night again. Is that clear?"

His anger puzzled her and she was going to argue, when he looked right at her. The intensity in his eyes scared her.

_He's ashamed of his behavior, his uncontrolled passion and doesn't want to be reminded of it._

"My lord..."

"Please don't, my lord me!" he said with a hint of temper. "I'm not a lord or a knight anymore. I'm just a land owner with a large amount of land. And I would like to know the truth. How did you become a slave? Where are you really from?"

_He wants the truth but I can't tell him who I really am._

She cleared her throat. He was still staring at her intensely.

"I'm not a lady. I was the lady in waiting to the Queen of Perondenia. Her Kingdom was destroyed by a necromancer."

At this, he looked at her sharply. "A necromancer?"

"Yes.. an evil wizard from Moria. He was well versed in dark magic and she was no match for him. He took over the land."

_It still hurts to talk about it. I miss my home._

"What happened to its people and the queen?"

"He enslaved them. He killed the queen and... and her mother." Her voice broke at this and she stood up, then walked to the fireplace.

_Be calm. Do not think about the past. You can't do anything about it. Don't get emotional._

Lord Anthony was quiet. Then he said "How did you escape?"

"After my lady was murdered, I was imprisoned in the tower. Late at night the castle's sommelier who had been hiding, freed me. He helped me leave by a secret cavern underneath the castle. Once I was out, I stole a horse from the town and rode west, desperate for any help. But..."

"But no one wanted to help you." He said quietly.

"Yes, they were scared of the necromancer's power. No one would listen to me. And the evil wizard's men were on my trail. They wanted to capture me. The necromancer put a bounty on my head."

"Why, what does he want with you?"

_Do not tell him the truth. Do not._

She shrugged, trying to act casual. "Tying up loose ends, I suppose. He's killed everyone, who worked or lived in the castle. I'm the only survivor."

_I'm the only one left of my family and friends._

She couldn't help herself. The loneliness of being the last, of knowing everyone she loved was gone, was too much to take. Her eyes brimmed with tears and she angrily wiped them away.

_Great, Pepper. Cry, that's all you can do now._

She felt a hand on her shoulder, gently squeezing her in comfort. She turned. Lord Anthony gazed at her sadly with his soulful whisky eyes. "I understand your feeling of loss. I know what it's like to be the last of one's line."

She gulped, her throat raw and said "I can't go back to Perondenia. Not until I find a way to destroy the wizard. Or someone to help me... But mark my words, I will do something, my lord. I will go back someday."

He looked at her thoughtfully. "Where did the slavers capture you?"

"When I entered the borders of this land. They didn't know I was running from the necromancer. They were travelling towards the east with a large collection of slaves. I was just another hapless traveler to them, who they could sell. I was their prisoner for a week."

"But one night, they had a grand celebration and in his inebriation, the Fat One was careless with securing my chain. I escaped in the early hours of the morning. I think the camp separated and one half came after me, the one you destroyed."

Lord Anthony was staring into the fire and said, almost to himself, ''I destroyed the other half earlier this week. They had men and women of all ages. Even children. I set them free and killed all the slavers." He picked up the poker and viciously stabbed at the fire, as if he needed to do something with his hands.

"You said the necromancer came from Moria. Did you see him? Do you know his name?"

She shuddered, remembering the fateful night she lost everything.

 _He was death. Tall and beady eyed and had no hair on his head._  He ... she remembered the maniacal way he grinned at her and touched her hair. "He frightened me. I .. I have never met anyone so so evil."

She dimly realized Lord Anthony had caught her hand and was looking at her intently.

"His name was Stane."

His grip tightened and she looked up to see anger tighten Lord Anthony's face such that a muscle flexed under his eye. She saw the blue flame brighten in his chest.

She caught his hand in both her hands. "It is ok, my lord. Someday he will get what he deserves."

Then, trying to change the subject, she haltingly asked, "May I call you Anthony?"

"No, call me Tony." A hint of a smile played around his lips.

"Tony?"

"It's a nickname. My mother used to call me Tony."

She smiled and yawned, tired from the day's events and he noticed.

"Go to sleep, Pepper."

She shook her head stubbornly. "I will if you will. You need to rest more than me, my Lo... Tony."

It was difficult for her to drop his title and call him by a nickname. She was rewarded with a slow but warm smile from him, which lit up his eyes. She couldn't help but smile back at him.

_My, he is a handsome man._

She offered her shoulder and he leaned on her. They slowly walked up the stairs together, her arm around his waist, his arm around her shoulders.

"You can stay here, Pepper. As long as you need to." He said earnestly.

She nodded thoughtfully.

They walked to his door. He caught her hand as she started to move away. She stood still as he placed a gentle kiss on it. His beard tickled her. He looked at her with his melting eyes and said "Pepper, I sincerely thank you for saving me today. I would be dead if you hadn't found me."

The emotion in his voice touched her.  _He's not used to being taken care o_ f.

He still held her hand with his callused fingers. He was so close, she could feel his breath on her face. She looked at him. "My Lord Stark...Tony, if there's anyone who should be thankful, it is me. You saved me first and at great peril to yourself. I owe you my life."

He smiled at her warmly then and her heart skipped a beat.

"Well, it appears your debt is repaid in full. I saved you, you saved me... now we are equal."

She smiled at him and said firmly "If you say so. Now go to sleep and good night."

She walked to her room and as she closed the door, she heard him say softly ""Sleep tight, a thousand times. Good night, milady".


End file.
